In 1861 Lake County was created from parts of Napa and Mendocino counties and has since been well known as a farming community. In the 1870s vineyards were planted and by the early 1900s the area was already earning its reputation for producing “The world’s greatest wines.” Prohibition forced an end to the Lake County wine production in 1920 when most of the vineyards were removed and replaced with walnut and pear orchards.

The comeback of the wine industry in Lake County began in the 1960s when a few growers rediscovered the area’s grape growing potential and once again began planting vineyards. Today, Lake County has more than 8,800 acres of planted vineyards, a significant increase from the less than 100 acres that were planted in 1965, and where sustainable farming practices are used to produce the finest mountain fruit possible. This area has also seen the recent establishment of several American Viticultural areas such as High Valley and Red Hills-Lake County.

Each vineyard block was carefully planned to fit the contours of the land and maximize ideal sun exposure. Varietals, rootstocks, clones, vine spacing and row direction were matched to the soil composition and exposures.

Their winemakers are impassioned to create wines that represent the best of Lake County vineyards. The goal of master winemaker Mike Woods was to create something fun, easy to drink on its own while pairing well with different foods. He chose the varietals for Dalliance Red based on what each could bring to the wine and wanting to use varieties not seen very often. The Zinfandel adds the ripe jammy fruit, the Barbera helps balance the acid, the Syrah bring a little back bone and earthy character, the Tempranillo brings a little spice and the Grenache brings a little fresh strawberry fruit.