Manton CA Wineries: A Question

Anybody ever been to or know anything about a cluster of five small wineries outside a small town called Manton in the Northern California Sierra Foothills? A few days ago an invitation to my high school reunion in a town not so distant from Manton mentioned that one of our classmates now owns and operates a winery there called Shasta Daisy Vineyard. A quick check on the web shows four other wineries in the immediate area*, most growing Petite Sirah, Syrah, Gewurtz and other relatively dependable varieties while my brave friend does only Pinot Noir. If anyone has reason to believe the wineries might be worth a visit that would probably be enough to tip my decision to attend the reunion.

* The other four wineries are Alger Vineyards, Indian Peak Vineyards, Mt. Tehama Winery, and Ringtail Vineyards.

Wow - I thought I knew about all of the out-of-the-way wineries in the foothills but these are totally new to me. If you go, please report back.

Clint, Hi....

I suppose what would trigger the decision for me is precisely that I know nothing about the wineries in question and precious little about the wine capabilities of this sub-sub-region. Even if the wines are of no special import a visit could be great fun. Something akin perhaps to a visit to the flea market.....the pleasure of the visit outweighs the potential of finding anything of great value, but that pleasure might be more than enough.

Best
Rogov

[Jenise]

Wow - I thought I knew about all of the out-of-the-way wineries in the foothills but these are totally new to me. If you go, please report back.

And if anyone would know them, you would. Don't even know of Manton? (I don't.)

Shasta Daisy--Clint, sounds like he let his granddaughter name it.

Jenise, the "Shasta" part of the winery's name is no doubt inspired by Mt. Shasta, visibly looming snow-covered year round about a hundred miles to the north. The "Daisy" part may be a legal necessity, there being, I see, another Shasta winery elsewhere in California.

Manton? When I was a kid I worked there for the state one summer decades ago as a firefighter. It's just below the Sierra Nevada mountains in the high foofhills in scrub pine and oak country. What I recall of the town then was it consisted of a bar and four or five houses, but now I think the population is a few hundred.

Wow - I thought I knew about all of the out-of-the-way wineries in the foothills but these are totally new to me. If you go, please report back.

And if anyone would know them, you would. Don't even know of Manton? (I don't.)

Shasta Daisy--Clint, sounds like he let his granddaughter name it.

Had never heard of Manton until now, and I didn't realize there were any foothill wineries that far north.

A field trip is obviously in order here.

[Jenise]

Here's the Wikipedia entry for Manton, pop. 372 in 2005:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manton,_California

I tasted through some wines from Indian Peak. Sadly, they were all awful-alcoholic, sweet, cloying.
Your mileage may vary.

I have been to Shingletown, not far from Manton. Would have never guessed that they grew grapes up there. Might be interesting to know how they fare.

Brian, your Indian Peak experience is consistent with my recollection of the climate there, which was darned hot in the summer. My Shasta Daisy friend seems brave to have staked his winery's future on Pinot.

[David M. Bueker]

You folks do know that a Shasta Daisy is a particular type of the flower don't you? The name makes perfect sense.

Brian, your Indian Peak experience is consistent with my recollection of the climate there, which was darned hot in the summer. My Shasta Daisy friend seems brave to have staked his winery's future on Pinot.

Yep. All the heat of the interior California climate, with none of the ameliorating influences of our "Delta Breeze"/onshore flow. I still remember driving up to something like 8,000 feet at Mount Shasta, where there was still snow in June, then drving down to Chico where it was still 90 degrees at 10 p.m. And Redding/Red Bluff are hotter than Chico!

You folks do know that a Shasta Daisy is a particular type of the flower don't you? The name makes perfect sense.

Right, David, we know. And the name makes sense (although nitpickers might question whether it makes perfect sense as Shasta Daisies are kinda stinky).