In 1996, Clay Shannon set out to start a winery and ranch in Lake County. Thirty years later, the company that grew from that start, Shannon Family of Wines, sells wine under labels including Shannon Ridge and Buck Shack, and it keeps sheep in its vineyards.
The company announced the anniversary in a news release dated Nov. 11 and posted by Wine Industry Advisor, an online wine industry publication.
Shannon owns the business with Angie Shannon.
“Thirty years ago, we saw something special in Lake County—the land, the opportunity and the chance to build something our own way,” Shannon, the company’s proprietor, said in the release.
The company’s other labels include Clay Shannon, OVIS, Mother Vine and Cricket Farms, the release says.
The company’s motto is “Lead with the Land.” Under a program it calls Project Ovis, the company says it has rebuilt the way it manages its vineyards around regenerative organic practices. The release describes that as bringing sheep into the vineyards and putting the health of the soil first, along with the long-term health of the property and biodiversity, meaning the variety of living things on the land.
The release also thanks the people the company has worked with over 30 years: employees, growers, distributors, retailers, restaurants and wine drinkers.
“We’re grateful to everyone who has been part of our journey, and we’re focused on making wines we’re proud to share while leaving the land better for the next generation,” Shannon said.
“While these are challenging times for the wine industry, our commitment hasn’t wavered,” Shannon said. “We believe in the land, our people and the future of this business, and we’re continuing to invest in all three.”
The release doesn’t say what those investments are.
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