Six Sigma Ranch & Winery is located south of Lower Lake in Lake County, California. When we acquired the land in 2000, the 4,300-acre cattle ranch stood out as a place that could fulfill our dreams of sustainable farming and growing grapes while living in natural beauty.

We develop the ranch with nature in mind, integrating small vineyard blocks with the native vegetation and providing corridors for the wildlife. A conservation easement donated to the Golden State Land Conservancy is protecting in eternity the habitat of deer, bobcat, turkey, wild pig, bear and other wildlife.

The First Impression

For the casual passer-by on Spruce Grove Road in Lake County, CA, Six Sigma Ranch may look as just another vineyard. However, a closer look will reveal that our property is much more than a place to grow grapes.

In 1999, when looking for land, we chose the ranch in Lower Lake because of its natural beauty and the endless possibilities this land offered.

Maintaining the Nature

Nestled 50 minutes north of Napa Valley, our ranch sacrifices nothing in wildlife and genuine splendor. It is our intent to maintain its natural state. To that end, our first step was to donate a conservation easement to the Golden State Land Conservancy. Composed of steep mountains, rolling hills and picturesque valleys, Six Sigma Ranch is home not only to our vineyards and Black Angus beef but also to wildlife and vegetation of many kinds.

Our love of nature is the driving force behind the way we develop the ranch. We focus on integrating the vineyards with the natural landscape. Majestic oaks and groves of mature trees dwarf the vineyards. All our vineyards provide wildlife corridors in or around them to preserve the natural habitat and allow the movement of deer, bobcat, wild turkey, wild pigs, and bear that grace the area.

The Historic Tasting Room

If you come for a visit, you will follow a 2-mile drive from the front gate at Spruce Grove Road to the restored bungalow we use as our tasting room. It is the same the route that the stagecoach took years ago from Middletown to the gold mines and quicksilver mines in Knoxville. Our tasting room sits at the site of the former stagecoach stop.

The historic drive follows Asbill Creek, officially named so after the first family of settlers who made the valley their home in the late 1850's.

The Vineyards

Each end of Asbill valley is bookmarked by a vineyard: Michael's Vineyard near the front gate and Else's Vineyard across the valley floor from our tasting room. (The vineyards are affectionately named for family members.) In between the two vineyards, you will pass our winery tucked off to the north side of the road.

From the tasting room, a narrow, winding mountain road leads another 2 miles up to the Diamond Mine, where Christian's, Marianne's, and Annette's Vineyards are located on the gentle southeast slopes of a 1700-foot peak near the southeastern end of our property. We named this location the Diamond Mine because it has an abundance of "Lake County Diamonds," small volcanic pieces of quartz that litter the red volcanic soil and shimmer in the sunlight.

Our Commitment

Our commitment to preserving the natural setting for its indigenous occupants will never change. That commitment goes to the core of who we are. In fact, it is so important to us that we are proactively teaching others to value nature, too. Every year students from nearby schools visit the ranch to learn about nature and how to protect our precious resources for future generations.

Tasting and Tours

We welcome individuals and groups for tasting daily 11am to 4:30pm. Likewise, we are happy to organize vineyard tours or barrel tastings by appointment. More info at Tasting and Tours.

If you are interested in nature, high-altitude vineyards, wildlife viewing and photography, hiking or mountain biking, give us a call. We would be happy to organize a visit. Be sure to check out our current events page What's New to learn about our upcoming events.

Our Neighbors

For information on other wineries in Lake County, click here