Shenandoah Vineyards

Located in Plymouth, CA, Shenandoah Vineyards was founded in 1977 by Shirley and Leon Sobon. The couple relocated from Los Altos, California, where Leon had a successful career as a Senior Scientist at the Lockheed Research Lab. Leon’s passion for home winemaking inspired him to leave Lockheed and embark on a new journey as a winemaker.

The selection of the winery site in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County was a well-researched decision. The Sobon family, including their six children, moved to the historic Steiner Ranch outside Plymouth, where they planted a vineyard and transformed the old stone garage into the winery. In 1989, they expanded their operations by acquiring the D'Agostini winery, leading to the formation of Sobon Estate.

Over the years, Leon has earned numerous national and international awards for the wines produced at Sobon Estate and Shenandoah Vineyards. Both family labels are distributed nationally and internationally, including in Canada, Switzerland, and Hong Kong. Leon is recognized as a leader in the wine industry, having served on various industry boards and committees, and he is frequently invited as a judge for prestigious wine-tasting competitions.

Today, winemaking and business operations remain a family affair. Shirley manages finance and the gallery, while Leon continues to impart his extensive winemaking knowledge into every vintage. Their sons, Paul and Robert, along with son-in-law Tom Quinn, uphold the family tradition that began decades ago, ensuring that Shenandoah Vineyards continues to thrive.

It all began at the dinner table. Charlie Wagner Sr., who co-founded Caymus Vineyards in 1972 with his wife, Lorna, and their son, Chuck, would experiment with blending wines to find the ideal pairing for his meals. At that time, blending wines was unconventional, making his experiments quite revolutionary.

In 1989, this experimentation led to the creation of Conundrum White, which quickly gained popularity with its enigmatic tropical notes and remarkable versatility. Conundrum Red, which is both serious and approachable, was introduced in 2011. Today, it is Charlie’s grandson, Charlie Wagner II, who continues to maintain the original essence of Conundrum.

Nestled in the Mayacamas Mountains of southeastern Mendocino County, McDowell Valley Vineyards was established in 1970. This vineyard has one of the longest records of continuous wine grape production in California. Syrah and Grenache have been planted on this soil for almost a century, when the Buckman Family made a perfect match in planting Syrah and Grenache vines in the McDowell Valley. It is because of this rich history and distinct growing conditions that in 1982 McDowell Valley obtained one of the earliest BATF viticultural appellations. Today, of the 330 acres of grapes planted in the 500 acre valley, nearly a third are dedicated to Rhône varietals such as Syrah, Grenache, and Viognier.

Six Hands is a boutique family winery nestled in the Sacramento River Delta, where warm summer days and cool evening breezes create optimal conditions for grape cultivation. Six Hands wines will be represented at special events, celebrations and ordinary Tuesday night dinners, motivates us to produce handcrafted wines of the highest caliber at value-oriented prices.