Who Needs a Vineyard When You Can Own Your Own Wine Appellation

Who hasn’t visited one of California’s pastoral wineries and thought, “You know, I could get used to this? Maybe I’ll get in the wine business.” Yes, a rustic life harvesting grapes, making juice and uncorking prized vintages does sound mighty tempting. Anyone who’s in the industry will also tell you it comes with plenty of risk, hard work and moolah.

But … if you are up for the task and ready to realize your Dionysian dream, then this could be your chance. According to SFGATE, a big chuck of vine appellation, 150 acres to be exact, is on the market and seeking the right buyer.

“The patch of land sitting at about 1,400 feet above sea level in Mendocino County has its own microclimate that’s cooler and wetter than nearby Ukiah, lengthening the grapes’ required ripening time over a month compared to nearby vineyards, and infusing the wine with a trademark acidity.  The ranch’s tricky climate has historically resulted in a smaller wine yield for an area its size with 130 tons of grapes sold to nearby wineries, but the resulting vintages are generally well-regarded.

“’That marked acidity is the defining trait of Cole Ranch wines,’ SFGATE reported on a story about the wine region in 2007. ‘The wines are remarkably delicate, yet earthy, with bright fruit flavors. Almost every year, Cole Ranch Rieslings have an electric edge.’”

Read more here.