Benmore Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in southwestern Lake County, California. It was established on October 19, 1991 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury afer reviewing the petition submitted by Sara Schorske of Compliance Specialists, Santa Rosa, California, on behalf of Vimark, Inc., a vineyard owner, proposing the viticultural area in southwest Lake County to be known as "Benmore Valley."[3] The valley is named for Benjamin Logan Moore, or Ben Moore, a local 19th century cattle rustler. Ben Moore would steal cattle in adjacent Mendocino County and then drive them to Lake County into the hidden valley which now bears his name. He would later drive the cattle into Sacramento Valley where he would sell them. Benmore Valley is a high depression in the mountains at 2,400 feet (730m) in elevation, is prominently identified on U.S.G.S. maps, and is much cooler than surrounding areas.[1] At the outset, the viticultural area encompassed about 1,440 acres (2sqmi) of which 125 acres (51ha) were cultivating Chardonnay grapes. There were no bonded wineries in the area. Most of the grapes last produced there were used by Geyser Peak Winery.[2]
As of February 2018, no wineries or planted vineyards were active in the AVA, therefore, no longer highlighted by Lake County Winegrowers Association.[4] The crop is now cannabis planted on the same location of the defunct vineyard.[5]
1 2 "Benmore Valley Wine". Wine Searcher. June 28, 2023. The only notable producer to previously use the region's grapes was the Geyser Peak Winery in Sonoma County, one of the oldest wineries in California.
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