In honor of its 40th anniversary and in conjunction with the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance, the pioneering winery is digging into its cellar
SONOMA, CA (April 7, 2021) – Visitors to Schug Carneros Estate Winery can now get a taste of the property’s rich history. The winery, which was founded 40 years ago by renowned winemaker Walter Schug, has started offering a Library Wine Experience that enables guests to sample older vintages paired with food. Co-owner and second-generation vintner Claudia Schug hosts the sessions on Friday mornings and provides historical details and stories to give further insight into the singular pours, while Chef Kristine Schug prepares delicious bites to accompany the wine and conversation. A virtual tasting is also scheduled for the end of the month.
The historical tasting experience, which was launched in April for Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance Library Wine Experience Month and will continue into late spring, comes as Schug is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Following notable positions spearheading grower relations for E & J Gallo and serving as Joseph Phelps’ inaugural winemaker, Walter Schug followed his passion for Pinot Noir to the windswept hills of the Carneros region. While he passed away in 2015, Claudia and her brother, Managing Partner Axel Schug, have kept his legacy alive and oversee the winery’s daily operations, along with German-American winemaker Johannes Scheid, who took over the production helm with the 2019 vintage.
Schug, which produces 30,000 cases sold across the U.S. and on four continents, focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from its Carneros estate as well as partner vineyards elsewhere in Carneros and the Sonoma Coast. The winery also produces Bordeaux varieties sourced from premiere Sonoma County sites, a tribute to Walter Schug’s work at Phelps.
The Library Wine Experience is available for $75 at 11 a.m. on Fridays. A virtual tasting of library wines will also be held on April 30 at 5 p.m. for $150, which includes a shipment of wines. Schug also offers classic wine tastings by appointment Thursday through Sunday for wine tasting in its courtyard. Please visit https://schugwinery.com/visit for more information, call 707.939.9363 or email jaime@schugwinery.com.
About Schug Carneros Estate Winery
Schug Carneros Estate Winery was founded 40 years ago by Walter Schug, the founding winemaker for Joseph Phelps Vineyards. Drawing on his extensive experience in the production of fine wines in both Europe and California, Walter, along with his wife Gertrud, established the winery in the cool marine climate of the Carneros appellation. Today, the winery is owned and operated by Walter and Gertrud’s children Axel and Claudia, who carry on Walter’s legacy along with German-American winemaker Johannes Scheid. Beyond its 42-acre estate vineyards, the winery sources grapes from many of Sonoma County’s premier wine grape growers. Schug wines are available direct from the winery, across the United States, and in over a dozen countries worldwide. Surrounded by estate vineyards, Schug Carneros Estate Winery lies sheltered on a hillside five miles south of the historic city of Sonoma with sweeping views of the Carneros region and Sonoma Valley. For more information, visit www.schugwinery.com
