  To make this vast region a little easier to comprehend, we have grouped the wineries into 4 geographic regions. Use these regional areas along with the overview map to develop your trip. Because of the vast regions we are dealing with in these four northern counties, the fifteen wineries are pretty far flung. Not all wineries have tasting rooms, and most are only open by appointment if they do, so contact the winery before driving out there so you don’t waste a long drive. SOUTHERN TEHAMA COUNTY REGION: This region is closer to Butte County than Shasta, so when making a trip to this area you may want to use our Sister Site, Sierra Wines and the information on Butte County to find some other near by wineries. This is a northern valley region that can be quite hot in the summer with none of the sea breezes that impact the central valley. It relies, instead, on the actual heat to shut the vines down and lengthen hang times. Cool region grapes will not do well, and so the single winery found here, New Clairvaux, tends to feature grapes like Tempranillo and Barbera instead of Pinot and Chardonnay.
NORTHERN TEHAMA, SOUTHERN SHASTA COUNTY REGION: Here you will find a fairly large group of wineries located east and west of Highway 5 between the northern Sacramento Valley towns of Red Bluff and Redding. This is a beautiful area of rolling foothills that generally produces heat loving grapes in the rolling topography of the very north end of the Sacramento Valley.. Its warm days and cool nights allows the grapes to hang a little longer than you might suspect, allowing them to retain enough acid for structure and zest in the wines and a good depth of flavor.
REDDING AREA, CENTRAL SHASTA COUNTY REGION: This region is just east and west of Redding and is located at a little lower in altitude than the other regions and can be as warm as southern Tehama. The exception to this being Griggs Winery, located in the hills on the way to Burney Falls at roughly 2300 feet.
TRINITY COUNTY REGION: These are probably the most remote wineries of the bunch, and we had quite a challenge on our trip finding maps of the area that were up to date and easy to navigate. The wineries in this region are nestled in the Trinity Mountains on the west side of the northern state. These are wineries that can grow the cooler weather grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay beautifully. The area is breathtaking with lots of other recreational activities, so plan to spend some time here, you  won't be sorry.
SISKIYOU COUNTY REGION: The two wineries located in this region, Neveu Vineyards and Shasta View Vineyards, are the two most northern wineries in California, roughly 20 miles south of the Oregon border. They are located just north of the little town of Montaque and almost directly east of Yreka on Ager Road. The region is very warm in the summer and very cold in the winter, and grows grapes accordingly. This is the land of grand views that can best be described as awesome, looking straight south across the Shasta Valley less than 30 miles towards that slumbering giant of a volcano, Mt Shasta. You can’t help but wonder what a site it must have been for the local Native Americans when it last erupted in1786. |
