The unique climate of Comptche, California produces some of Mendocino County's finest Pinot Noir. Fifth generation family owners Bill and Norman Shandel produce sustained yield timber, world class blackberry jam and Pinot Noir from the Oppenlander Vineyard with Dijon clones planted in the natural opening homesteaded in the 1860s. Bill and family still live in the original log home. Known as the Oppenlander Ranch for nearly a century, the Shandel Ranch for over a decade and Surprise Valley Ranch, Inc. since 1963.
The inspiration for Shandel's Oppenlander Vineyards was a single aged grapevine, located in what the Shandel Oppenlander family calls Vineyard Knoll, which survived more than 100 years.
In 1985 Bill and Norman planted a test plot of grapes to see what would grow well. In 1997 Dijon Pinot Noir clones were planted and today 20 acres of Surprise Valley ranchlands are in grapes.
