Shadow Mountain is an ideal grape-growing location with an elevation of 3,500 feet, and it’s blessed with Pacific Ocean breezes and cool, dry nights. Master vintner Alexander McGeary specializes in award-winning viognier, whites, reds and dessert wines such as merlot, Syrah, cabernet, zinfandel and a muscat cannelli.Shadow Mountain Vineyards is a 3rd generation family estate grape growing & wine making business, which was founded by Agusto & Helen Mase, an Italian couple in 1944. The second generation of the family continued in this family tradition, by planting extensive vineyards in the 1960′s and 70′s.

Robert Haas was a prominent figure in the American wine industry for over fifty years. Starting in the 1950s as a buyer for his family's New York retailer, M. Lehman, Haas traveled through the cellars of France, building a formidable reputation as a wine taster and forming lasting relationships with top wine producers.

In the mid-1960s, Haas ventured out on his own to import fine estate wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Loire, Alsace, and the Rhône Valley. It was during this time that he met the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel and persuaded patriarch Jacques Perrin to appoint him as the exclusive American importer for the estate. Through his importing business, Vineyard Brands, Haas collaborated closely with Jacques' sons, Jean-Pierre and François Perrin, helping establish Beaucastel as a leading estate in the international wine community.

As Haas and the Perrins traveled across the United States for two decades to promote their French wines, they became close friends and came to believe that Rhône grape varieties, which thrived in the sunny south of France, would also flourish in California's Mediterranean climate. In 1985, the families began searching for suitable property.

Robert Haas was honored by the Paso Robles Wine Community as the 2007 Wine Industry Person of the Year and received a lifetime achievement award from the Rhone Rangers in 2014 for his contributions to the American Rhône movement. Haas passed away in March 2018, and his remarkable career was celebrated in publications such as Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The New York Times. His son, Jason, who has managed the estate since the mid-2000s, was recognized by his peers as the 2015 Paso Robles Wine Country Wine Industry Person of the Year and the 2017 San Luis Obispo County Wine Industry Person of the Year. In 2022, Jason was named a Food & Wine Drinks Innovator of the Year.

The Perrin family has also garnered numerous international accolades, including the prestigious 2018 Meininger Award for Wine Family of the Year. Additionally, Jean-Pierre and François Perrin were named Men of the Year by Decanter Magazine in 2014.

The Marshall family has deep roots in the Sanger area, tracing their history back to the early 1900s when Hugh M. Marshall purchased 160 acres northeast of Sanger, where the family continues to farm today. Wine lovers who enjoy visiting wineries can appreciate the diverse agricultural legacy of the Marshalls, who have cultivated various crops over the decades, including figs, wheat, table and raisin grapes, plums, and nectarines, before ultimately focusing on wine grapes.

The Marshalls have always been hands-on in the processing of their crops, a commitment that led Hugh M. Marshall Jr. to establish the packing operation H. M. Marshall & Son in 1954, specializing in growing, packing, and shipping tree fruit and various types of grapes.

In the early 1980s, the family resumed shipping wine grapes to the East Coast for home winemaking. Hugh’s son began his journey in the wine grape business by accompanying his father on vineyard inspections, purchasing grapes, and preparing them for shipment. While attending Fresno State, he took on a full-time role in the business, picking, packing, and shipping grapes from those same vineyards.

As his interest in wine and winemaking grew, he began to craft wines from the grapes they had been cultivating for years. Initial attempts were rough, but encouragement from his wife, Jenifer, led him to submit his wines to various state and county fair competitions. His wines soon garnered numerous awards, including gold, silver, and bronze ribbons. Each recognition, as well as setbacks, spurred him to improve his craft. He enhanced his knowledge by taking classes from the UC Davis Extension Enology department and attending seminars at Fresno State and Sonoma State.

In 2012, after years of encouragement from family and friends, Hugh and Jenifer launched their own wine label, Maréchal Vineyards. For them, raising their family in a place with such rich agricultural heritage is vital, and they hope wine lovers will join them in celebrating yet another chapter of their family’s adventure in winemaking.

In 2012, after years of encouragement from family and friends, Hugh and Jenifer launched their own wine label, Maréchal Vineyards. For them, raising their family in a place with such rich agricultural heritage is vital, and they hope wine lovers will join them in celebrating yet another chapter of their family’s adventure in winemaking.

Image - cabernet sauvignon grapes - photographer Randy Caparoso

Had a great time visiting with David at his Whitmore winery. The focus at Dakaro Cellars is on Rhone and Bordeaux Varietals, Italian and Spanish Varietals: Syrah, Viognier, Tempranillo, Pinot Grigio. David Roth when asked how he got into winemaking to the point of producing for others to enjoy his reply was; "Well, I took a hobby that I really enjoyed and ruined it by making it into a job." I have do disagree with David as his love for wine and the experience of sharing his wines with others speaks just a little louder. Dakaro produces some nice wines and produces a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourverde and Counoise that is very impressive. If you can get your hands on a bottle take your time and experience the wine change and evolve as you enjoy it. Nice, layers that seem to unfold so nicely if you don't rush through the wine. What a wonderful gem from Shasta Cascade area. Dakaro Cellars is a little of the beaten path, but worth the drive if you are near Redding. We are pleased to have the folks at Dakaro Cellars as one of our winery friends and listed in our California Winery Directory.*

Hours:

Mon-Fri   Closed
Sat-     12:00pm to 5:00pm
Sun-    12:00pm to 5:00pm