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.

In the 1950s and 1960s, a renaissance in the California wine industry emerged as a group of Napa Valley pioneers recognized the region’s potential to meet the evolving tastes of American wine consumers. Among these visionaries was Jay Corley, founder of Monticello, who would go on to establish a winery that, over five decades, would produce more than a thousand wines rated 90 or higher.

Winemaking in Napa Valley dates back to the mid-1800s. The industry thrived throughout the latter part of the 19th century, with hundreds of wineries sprouting across the valley. However, the late 1800s brought devastation in the form of phylloxera, a pest that ravaged over 90% of the valley’s vineyards.

The remnants of the wine industry were further obliterated in 1920 with the onset of Prohibition, which rendered wine production and consumption illegal. Wine grapes were rendered useless for anything other than wine, leading farmers to uproot their vines and replant the valley with prunes, walnuts, and figs in a bid for survival.

In 1969, Jay Corley ventured to Napa Valley seeking land to craft exceptional wines. He acquired a prune orchard from the Prohibition era and established Monticello in 1970. True to his preference for subtlety, Jay chose not to name the winery after himself but instead named it Monticello after Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia estate, modeling the winery’s estate house after Jefferson’s Monticello, inspired by the Palladian architectural style of the Italian Renaissance.

A connoisseur of food and wine, Jay admired Jefferson’s preference for wine over ale, the popular American drink of Jefferson’s era. Jay embraced Jefferson’s belief that “Good wine is a necessity of life” and shared a passion for pairing wine with food.

Although Jay hailed from a family of farmers, he himself was a businessman who recognized his own limitations. He surrounded himself with skilled individuals necessary for producing world-class wines. Decades later, these talents have been carried on by Jay’s own children, who are involved in growing the grapes, making the wines, managing the business, and preparing the way for the third generation of the family. In an era when many of Napa’s pioneering wineries have been sold to conglomerates, Monticello proudly remains one of the few family-owned wineries in the valley.

The history of Hidden Oak Winery is a unique story shaped by a deep love of the land, family values, hard work, and tradition. The name "Hidden Oak Winery" reflects this heritage; before grapes were planted, almond trees grew on the property. During the clearing process, a small oak tree was discovered hidden among them, and it was nurtured to thrive alongside the vines. Today, this oak stands over 50 feet tall, a testament to the winery's commitment to the land.

Owners Mike and Martha James may be relatively new to winemaking, but their label has quickly garnered attention in the industry, resulting in numerous awards and reviews that are remarkable for such an emerging winery.

The James family toiled in the vineyard, celebrating their first harvest in 1997. “We learned that it goes beyond just picking the grapes at peak ripeness,” Mike explains. Together, they meticulously monitor the pH and acid levels, ensuring consistency, but they also take the time to taste the grapes, searching for that perfect flavor that indicates readiness for harvest. It’s not uncommon to see them strolling through the vineyard, sampling the fruit directly from the vines.

Their journey into winemaking began with a modest inaugural release intended solely for friends and family. However, encouragement from those who tasted their wines led them to offer their creations commercially. Starting with Merlot, the Jameses soon expanded their portfolio to include Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Zinfandel, and blends crafted from the diverse varietals grown on their property.

For wine lovers visiting California's wineries, Hidden Oak Winery promises a heartfelt experience rooted in tradition and dedication, along with a delightful selection of wines that capture the essence of the land.

The best part about the tasting room is the staff. I enjoyed someone taking the time to talk to me about what I was drinking. Also, there is an adorable outside patio where you can sit and sip your wine. Plenty of buttery breadsticks and fresh water refreshed our palates between sips. Such an experience helped us to trust our own responses to the wine. Bryanna allowed us to explore the wines without overloading us with facts about the grapes or winemaking process. She responded to our questions with sensitivity and no hint of arrogance. All of us came away from the experience with a heightened awareness of the care with which Elizabeth Spencer wines are sourced and crafted. The reds we tasted were distinctively delicious, each proudly representing its appellation and the winemaker's skill.