As the saying goes, "Rome wasn't created in a day." When Gary Paul Fox acquired Bangor Ranch in August, 2010, it consisted of 11.58 acres with an old olive orchard, a newish house, outdoor kitchen, pool and pool house, and what he saw as the potential to become a world class vineyard and winery.
On first sight, the olive grove, stone walls and rolling hills led many visitors to comment that it looks just like Tuscany. Fair enough, but Gary's vision is more like Barbaresco or Barolo. The climate, soils and hillside exposure made Nebbiolo an obvious choice. In a similar manner, the aromatic scrub and warm afternoon winds suggested southern France, so Mourvedre was added to the menu.
After clearing some oaks, preparing the soil and installing drip irrigation, the summer of 2011 was devoted to planting the first 3 blocks to these varieties. The other major accomplishment this first year was designing and installing a 6 kilowatt ground-mounted solar array, sufficient to power the houses and winery and maybe even have enough to sell back to PG&E. Nothing like green power to help produce some great reds.
More than you might want to know:
Bangor Ranch Vineyard & Winery
5768 La Porte Road
Bangor, California 95914
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Gary Paul Fox, Owner/Winemaker