Region:

Los Carneros, Sonoma

602 Bonneau Rd
Sonoma, CA 95476

800-966-9365

Winemaker:

Walter Schug and Mike Cox

Large

Days/Hours:

Daily, 10:00 to 5:00

Medium to Large

Event Facilities:

Picnic Tables and Event Facilities

Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

Sparkling Wine, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

The Winery:
Founded in 1980 by Walter & Gertrud Schug, both children of German wine estate managers, the winery and tasting room facility have the look of a German country estate. Tucked into the Sonoma Mountains, it has a 360 degree view of the surrounding countryside. There is no charge for tasting the standard wine portfolio, and a small fee for tasting the reserve wines.

The Vineyards: The estate consists of fifty acres of vineyards of Pinot Noir & Chardonnay. The vineyards utilize a cover crop of mustard flowers, wild grasses, and poppies as a integral part of their sustainable farming practices. The winery also purchases grapes through long term contracts from local small production vintners.

The Wines: The winery is particularly well known for its flagship Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, made in the style Walter Schug practiced at Joseph Phelps. They also produce three different Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs with the small production Heritage label used for the best grapes of the estate vintage.

The Winemaker: Walter Schug, founding winemaker at Joseph Phelps, apprenticed in all nine of the famous wine estates of the Hessen in Rheingau, Germany. He received his diploma in viticulture & enology at the prestigious German wine institute of Geisenheim. Mr. Schug has also taken classes at the University of California, Davis. Michael Cox has a degree in enology from University of California, Davis, and worked at Hacienda & Dry Creek Vineyards and DeMoor prior to Schug.