NICE, Calif. – Ceago Vinegarden, one of the pillars in Lake County wine-producing, is closing its winery.
Ceago owner Jim Fetzer announced his retirement and the vinegarden's closure in an announcement released earlier this month.
The termination follows 13 years in business on the shore of Clear Lake in the Nice-Lucerne area, during which time the Ceago wine tasting room played host to 10,000 visitors annually, according to winery records.
Fetzer declined Lake County News’ request for an interview for this article, saying he “would prefer to keep a low profile.”
But in the statement Ceago posted on its Web site, www.ceago.com , and emailed out to its supporters, Fetzer said that his son Barney “will continue to manage the vineyards since our focus now will be on grape growing” while closing the retail side of the business.
What distinguished Ceago from the dozens of other wineries in Lake County was its sustainable, organic and biodynamic farming. The winery produced 8,000 cases a year, according to its Web site.
Fetzer, whose family has been in wine production for more than 55 years, said Ceago’s grapes will continue to be used throughout the wine industry.
Fetzer’s announcement of his departure and the closure to the public of the 163-acre Ceago farm had a reaction in the Lake County wine industry that was far from low profile.
“It’s like Konocti (Harbor) closing.“ said Lake County wine publicist Rick Gunier. “It may be the only winery in America that you could pull up to by boat. Jim has his own boat there and he has a beautiful dock where you could park.
“He also did a bunch for the industry by letting them use his facilities for the (wine) auction and some other things. He and (Jerry) Brassfield are generous enough to offer up their own facilities for the wine industry of Lake County to use . . . not everybody has facilities,” Gunier said.
Debra Sommerfield, president of the Lake County Winegrape Commission, paid tribute to Fetzer in an extensive email, identifying him as a “visionary with a lifelong passion for grape growing and winemaking, an advocate for treading lightly on the earth with his biodynamic farming” and “a true ambassador for Lake County, willing to share his insights into the area’s agriculture, history and ecology.”
At Ceago Vinegarden, over the past 10 years, Sommerfield said, Fetzer “shared and showcased the beauty and bounty of Lake County.”
She added, “What Jim envisioned with Ceago was innovative and he really helped move the wine industry forward in terms of offering an authentic agritourism experience.”
According to the winery, remaining wines and products will be available at Ceago until Sept. 14.
Email John Lindblom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .