The unique climate of Comptche, California produces some of
Mendocino County's finest Pinot Noir. Fifth generation
family owners Bill and Norman Shandel produce sustained yield timber, world
class blackberry jam and Pinot Noir from the Oppenlander Vineyard
with Dijon clones planted in the natural opening homesteaded
in the 1860s. Bill and family still live in the original
log home. Known as the Oppenlander Ranch for
nearly a century, the Shandel Ranch for over a decade
and Surprise Valley Ranch, Inc. since 1963.The inspiration for Shandel's
Oppenlander Vineyards was a single aged grapevine, located in what the
Shandel Oppenlander family calls Vineyard Knoll, which survived more
than 100 years.
In 1985 Bill and Norman planted a test plot of grapes to see what
would grow well. In 1997 Dijon Pinot Noir clones were planted and
today 20 acres of Surprise Valley ranchlands are in grapes.
The year 2002 saw the first release of the wine that was an
award winner, garnering the following awards:
- 2004 El Dorado County Fair - Double Gold
- 2004 San Francisco International Wine Competition - Bronze
- 2004 Critics Challenge International Wine Competition -
Critics Gold
- 2004 Long Beach Grand Cru Wine Competition - Bronze
- 2004 Indy International Wine Competition - Gold
- 2004 Mendocino Wine Competition - Double Gold
- 2004 American Wine Society - Gold
This vintage was described as very dark for a Pinot, and aged in French oak,
was highly extracted, concentrated and very ripe
with cherry and dark fruit flavors. This vintage wine was
produced at Salerno Family Winery in Healdsburg, California by
John Pepe. This
was a complex wine, well balanced, with a silky
rich on the palate flavor, with deep rich flavors of black cherry
and blackberry - 221 cases produced
Wine of this fine quality is uncommon from young vine and only
occurs with perfect conditions of soil and a cool climate.
Click here for other awards.
Phillips Hill
Winery in Philo has used Oppenlander Vineyard grapes. These are
a couple of other sites to ponder -
The Pinot File and
Indie Wine
Makers
To order by phone call 707-937-5594. We take Visa and Mastercard and will ship to any location. If you would prefer to
fax this information, please print
this form
and fax it to 707.937.4206. If you have any questions, please call
707.937-5594 or email svrinc@mcn.org.
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