Brassfield Estate Winery

This world-class winery also luxuries on par with the finest Napa houses, and certainly wines to stand up to anyone.  This winery is 4 miles away from  the lake, but it appears to be deceptively long, but you will know when you get there.  You will see statues among the grounds of deer, monks, lamb and other wildlife, all surrounded by the beautiful vineyards and the volcanic basin surrounding it.
They do a great Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Noir, zinfandel and cabernet saugivnon.  I liked all of them.  Matter of fact, there was nothing that I didn't like, which is rare for me.  The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon jumped out at me, as it had some smoke qualities.  The late harvest Riesling was also very good.  All of them had a nice minerality that is distinctive of Lake County.
The staff was very friendly, knowledgeable and educated me about both Lake County history, volcanic history and the various microclimates.  They explained how they're able to grow so many different varietals, from Pinot to Cabernet.  It is possible to order a food plate with your tasting, or get a bottle and go out to the picnic areas.  I plan to do just that in the spring time, when me and my wife return during bud break.
Check it out.

http://www.brassfieldestate.com/