Shenandoah Vineyards
Shenandoah Vineyards in Plymouth, CA, was founded in 1977 by Shirley and Leon Sobon. They moved from Los Altos, California, where Leon was a Senior Scientist with the Lockheed Research Lab. Leon’s gift for home winemaking led him to leave Lockheed and begin a new career as a Winemaker. In 1989, our family made the decision to start farming sustainably. After a winter of much research, they began using as few chemicals as possible. Their growing practices have evolved over the years, and today, employ complimentary plantings, beneficial bugs, and other natural growing techniques they believe encourage healthier grapes and better tasting wines.
Shenandoah Vineyards now farms 200 acres of wine grapes, olives, prunes and walnuts. The wines are made by conventional means using a minimum of sulfites to preserve freshness and color. They believe this small amount of sulfites used is necessary to maintain the freshness, stability, ageability, and enjoyment of their wines. Paul Sobon is the second generation of the Sobon family to lead the winemaking team. Paul’s previous experience in Australia and Bordeaux, his on the job training, and his “can-do” attitude makes him extremely well qualified for the position. Natural winemaking is their goal, with special care given to every barrel and every bottle. Shenandoah Vineyards strives to produce the highest quality wine possible and to fully express the true flavors and aromas of each grape variety and the soil from which they are grown.