Shannon Family of Wines

Clay Shannon’s Shannon Ridge wines are sourced from estate-owned vineyards in three Lake County appellations: High Valley, Red Hills, and Big Valley. Warm summer days and cool nights as well as the volcanic soils in mountain vineyards make for excellent terroir for Sauvignon blanc. The winery characterizes the wine as “brimming with lemongrass, mango, tangerine, and gooseberry flavors. Steely crispness is perfectly balanced by a lush tropical fullness and complex, lingering finish.” Enjoy well-chilled on warm summer evenings. 

Shannon Ridge Chardonnay is sourced from mountain vineyards in the High Valley, Red Hills, and Big Valley appellations in Lake County. High Valley fruit adds lively citrus flavors and bright acidity, while grapes from Red Hills contribute a generous, ripe fruit character. Big Valley adds more balance with grassiness and mineral tones. As noted by the winery, “The balanced fruit and oak aromas of this Chardonnay blends seamlessly with flavors of ripe peaches, pineapple, vanilla, butter, and caramel for a silky-smooth lingering finish.”

In the early 20th century, Petite Sirah was one of the most widely planted grapes in Lake County. Shannon Ridge Petite Sirah reminds us that these high-elevation appellations comprise excellent terroir for this varietal. Pour a glass and take in the inky purple/black in color, aromas of dusty ripe plums, and rich flavors of blueberry jam, blackberries, chocolate, earth, and spice. It’s a fruit-forward, full-bodied wine with a nice structure of acidity and tannin. Restrained ABV of 13.9% ensures it will harmonize with rather than overwhelm your meal.

Shannon Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from vineyards planted as high as 750 m. The intense and persistent fruit flavors will liven up casual dining on weekdays or weekends. Moderate alcohol (13.5%), refreshing acidity, and lively tannins will make an excellent match with burgers or pizza. According to the winery, this Cab “offers blackberry and dried cranberry characters with notes of pepper and allspice. The lengthy finish shows hints of cedar along with ripe fruit and toasted oak.”

Here’s a wine for those who eager to taste the 2023s, when a cool summer and autumn slowed down ripening to a snail’s pace. Turns out the extra hangtime helped intensify classic Sauvignon Blanc aromatics. Clay Shannon Sauvignon Blanc is sourced the best blocks of the estates Long Valley and High Valley vineyards. This high-elevation area features a unique east-west orientation that funnels in cool air off the lake as well as gravelly volcanic soils. Grapes were harvested at low brix, emphasizing bright acidity. While most of the wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel, a small amount saw time in acacia to enhance the mouthfeel and add floral notes. The winery says, “In the nose, you find white peach, passion fruit, and lime zest, as well as some herbaceous notes like bell pepper. Presents a rounded mouthfeel, well balanced with a refreshing acidity, enhancing its flavors.”

Clay Shannon Chardonnay is sourced from cool sites in the Lake County AVA. The wine was made to emphasize the fresh flavors of pure Chardonnay with little influence of oak or malolactic fermentation. The winery’s notes describe “aromas of pear, nutmeg, honeydew, lemon zest with just a hint of butter. On the palate: Meyer lemon, Fuji apple, vanilla & baking spices. Bright, clean with a creamy texture.”

“Junior” is an intensely flavored Zinfandel that entices with aromas of blackberry, cherry, plum, and a hint of black pepper. Crafted from grapes grown in high-elevation vineyards in Lake County's High Valley, it exemplifies the region's signature bright fruit, spice, and textured richness.  The Wine Enthusiast noted a “vivacity of fresh fruit that adds an excellent midpalate lift and keeps the energy going through to the lengthy finish. Cottony tannins gently coat the palate and are well-met by the concentration of ripe black cherry, plum, and bramble fruits, which are further complemented by herbes de Provence, fresh forest floor, and nuanced spices.”

Does the idea of Pinot Noir from inland Lake County cause a bit of cognitive dissonance? Fear not, as the qualities of Clay Shannon Pinot Noir — from the light garnet color to the bright red fruit aromas and zippy acidity – really can measure up against many a wine from the coastal vineyards of Sonoma. The Long Valley is unusual in that runs East-West, instead of the usual North-South. Planted at an elevation of 400 m., the vineyard is situated between mountains that soar up to over 900 m. Cool air funneled in from Clear Lake and wide diurnal temperature swings make for excellent acidities and fruit flavors. In 2021, 60% was sourced from the Long Valley Ranch,  on the High Valley side of Clear Lake, while 11% came from Red Hills (on the other end of the lake) and 22% from outside the county.

Clay Shannon Petite Sirah is estate-grown and sourced mainly from two high-elevation Lake County appellations: High Valley (57%) and Red Hills (33%). These vineyards get plenty of sun but are also whipped by fierce winds, producing tiny berries with huge but refined tannins. The wine is loaded with rich purple and black fruit but accented with brighter notes of red fruit, herbs and spice. Fans of Zinfandel, Syrah, or spicy red blends take note!

Clay Shannon’s Cab is a powerful and alluring wine that entices with black and red fruit and notes of savory spices, sandalwood, wild brush, and violets… Let’s call it the character of mountain vineyards in Lake County. About 50% of the wine was sourced from the High Valley and Red Hills AVAs, with the rest coming from elsewhere in Lake County as well as northern Napa County. These high-elevation mountain vineyards benefit from well-drained soils, cooling breezes and winds, clean air, and high UV light, conditions that yield big tannins and intense flavors. While the wine is young, decanting is recommended - or cellaring for six months or a year or more.

While Clay Shannon’s approach toward organic farming encourages insects to prosper in the vineyards, Cricket Farms Brut is named for a loyal Border Collie named Cricket. This is a refreshing sparkling wine with bright fruit character and fresh acidity. Sourced from the estate’s Long Valley Vineyard, the grapes were picked early to ensure high acidity and low alcohol. It charms with its effervescence and delicate flavors of green apple, pear, and citrus. At only 10.5 ABV and only 96 calories per serving, this sparkler could be the super sipper of the summer! 

Latin for sheep, Ovis honors the large herd of sheep that lie at the center of Clay Shannon’s sustainable farming practices. Letting sheep graze the cover crop in the vineyard reduces the need for herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer; because they also till the soil, tractors are used less, further shrinking the carbon footprint of the operation. Ovis is sourced mainly from the best blocks in the estate’s Round Mountain Vineyard in High Valley AVA. The wine aged for 30 months in 75% French oak and 25% American oak. According to Clay Shannon, "This blend is a combination of our highest tiered vineyard parcels, farmed specifically for maximum concentration and flavor. The deep garnet color, wonderful aromatics, and matured tannins are a dead giveaway of its High Valley origin."