Kelsey Bench-Lake County AVA

Kelsey Bench-Lake County is an American Viticultural Area located in Lake County, California. The area was home to some 900 acre of vines across 27 vineyards when it was officially established as an AVA by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) in October 2013. Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and Riesling are the principal white grape varieties within Kelsey Bench and its neighbor the Big Valley District AVA. Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Franc varieties make up the majority of red grape plantings in the area.

The name “Kelsey Bench” is a combination of Andrew Kelsey's surname, the first European American settler in the area, and "bench", a geological term used to describe the terraces that rise above the lower elevations of the valley to the north. The AVA boundaries cover a series of tectonically uplifted terraces in the southern half of a valley on the banks of Clear Lake. The Mayacamas mountains in the south and west separate the area from the southern end of Mendocino County, and the Mount Konocti volcano lies to the east. The Red Hills Lake County AVA is on the southeastern border of Kelsey Bench and when the appellation was formalized, the Red Hills boundaries were modified slightly to meet the Kelsey Bench boundaries.

Kelsey Bench shares both the valley and the TTB's AVA ruling with the Big Valley District AVA to the north. The region's growers submitted the two petitions together, drawing a line between the valley floor and the higher elevations in the south. The higher elevations of Kelsey Bench mean that the climate here is warmer than in Big Valley District, although not so warm as Red Hills Lake County in the east. Cold air from the mountains drains off the benches into the valley below, extending the growing season by lessening the risk of frost in the early spring and fall. Vines are stressed by the strong winds that buffet the area, and photosynthesis, therefore ripening, is slowed as a result. This gives the grapes ample time to develop rich fruit complexity alongside vital acidity, leading to well-balanced wines. Kelsey Bench has predominantly rich, red, volcanic soils.

The first vineyards in the area were planted in the late 19th century. Swiss-born John J. Staheli was among the first winegrowers in the area, where in 1905 he acquired a 25-acre vineyard the previous owner, William Johnson, had planted primarily with Zinfandel. Staheli erected a winery on site in 1910 which operated for a couple of years. Part of that vineyard eventually became in 1965 the property of Arden "Burt" Harlan, who married Staheli's niece. In the same area, the Old Stake 1901 Vineyard, planted in 1901 and registered with the Historic Vineyard Society, features vines of Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional, Zinfandel, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Roussanne and Perlette.

Rosa d'Oro and Smiling Dogs Ranch are the only bonded wineries located within the boundaries of the AVA.