Charles B Mitchell Vineyards

Just as pioneers decided 100 years ago to take a chance, Charles B. Mitchell came to Fair Play searching for opportunity. Looking to live out the dream of owning his first vineyard, it wasn’t long before he discovered the true potential of the region. Situated as the highest-elevation viticultural area in California, the possibilities for producing top-notch Zinfandels quickly became evident. Charles B. Mitchell Vineyards wasted no time, blazing a trail and purchasing the largest of the original wineries to reawaken Fair Play .Conveniently located high in the lovely Sierra Foothills abundant with oak and pine forests, sits the famed growing region known as Fair Play. The area was settled during the Gold Rush by miners and farmers, putting their lives on the line in hopes that success would strike.The first commercial vineyard and winery didn’t come to the area until Wisconsin native Horace Bigelow decided to plant 4,000 grape vines in 1887. Most of the 20th century was quiet and declining for the population around Fair Play due to the difficulty of transporting goods to viable markets. The wine region didn’t take off again until Benn Simms offered his Diamond Bar Ranch to University of California, Davis for an experimental vineyard. Through studying the experimental vineyard it was determined that excellent dry table wines, especially Zinfandel, could be grown in the Fair Play region.