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Lake County Wine Guide

The story of a fascinating wine region

This is the first highly illustrated, and comprehensive, travel guide to California’s unique mountain wine region. Lake County is real, rural, less populated wine country, just a few minutes drive from neighboring Napa and Sonoma counties.

Lake county boasts the cleanest air in California, the oldest natural fresh water lake in North America, plus dramatic, yet young, volcanic features such as volcanoes, cinder cones and lava flows. The beautiful valleys and hillsides encircling the lake have 9,000 acres of premium quality vineyards, which sit alongside a patchwork of walnut and pear orchards making this delightful wine touring country a must to explore.

This is a winemaker’s paradise due to the wide range of soils and micro climates found at these high elevation vineyards. Over 50 different wine grape varietals are grown here. The quality and wide selection of worldclass wines, often crafted in small lots, is attracting a great deal of critical attention and acclaim.

The Lake County Wine Guide is the ultimate historical and geological reference guide to this spectacular wine region. The story of each winery and their wine making philosophy is explored in detail making this the perfect wine touring companion to an extraordinary, relaxed, and less visited mountain wine region.

Lake County Features Include:

• The geological creation of Californa’s North Coast AVA
• The origins of the 2 million-year-old lake at its center
• Lake County’s many fascinating volcanic features
• A brief history of 10,000 years of human inhabitation

The indigenous inhabitants of Lake County
A history of the early nineteenth century settlers
Heyday years as a famous hot springs and spa destination
The internationally known water bottled in the county
The Lake County’s flourishing wine industry pre Prohibition
Post Prohibition Years that brought pear & walnut fame
The wine industry’s timely revival in the 1960s

The comprehensive Wine guide covers:

• Lake County’s sub appellation AVAs, when they were formed and what their unique characteristics are
• An overview of viticultural practices in Lake County
• A look at Lake County soils, micro climates and terroir
• The main wine touring guide includes:

Detailed visitor information/ opening hours/ contacts
The history of the winery owners and winemakers
Notes on each winery’s terroir/ elevation and soils
Acreage under vine and what varietals are grown
Winemaking philosophy and selection of wines produced
Wine club and special events information

Wine Traveller's Resources:

• Information on boutique wines and where to taste them
• An A-Z of wine grapes and wine styles
• Grape varietal descriptions with food pairing ideas
• Unique Lake County attractions such as the Quilt Trail
• Information about how to enjoy the 600,000 acres of public access lands and their spectacular natural attractions.
• Guide to community events and outdoor activities.

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