Schug Winery

Schug Winery A globally-recognized producer of Pinot Noir & Chardonnay, family-owned, founded by Walter Schug
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09/02/2026

Block 10 Pinot Noir, mid-ferment.

During a pumpover, we pull fermenting wine from beneath the cap and send it back over the skins, but first, we let it run through a sieve and pick up some air along the way.

That oxygen is especially useful during active fermentation, helping keep the yeast healthy and fermentation moving steadily.

A small cellar decision, but one of the many ways we gently shape extraction, texture and ultimately the finished wine.

08/28/2026

A sure sign harvest is getting close.

We’re removing the heads from select French oak barrels and hammering the hoops back into place, getting them ready to receive our Bordeaux varieties — primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

Fermenting directly in barrel brings the fruit and oak together from the very beginning, allowing for a more gradual, integrated relationship with the wood as the wine takes shape.

Soon, these barrels will be filled with freshly crushed harvested grapes and another vintage will officially be underway.

08/21/2026

Sound on for Harvest 2026 update from Johannes with the crew!

07/05/2026

Walter Schug didn’t set out to build an American winery.

He trained in Germany’s Rheingau, at Geisenheim — the premier university for aspiring German winemakers. He crossed an ocean and became the founding winemaker at Joseph Phelps, where he helped shape some of Napa’s earliest, most celebrated Cabernets. And then he did something quietly radical: he struck out on his own, in pursuit of a grape most of California had written off in that era — Pinot Noir.

That’s its own kind of independence. The kind that means trusting your palate over the prevailing wisdom, and your instincts about a piece of land over what’s fashionable that vintage.

This weekend, however you’re celebrating, we hope there’s a glass of something in hand that means something to you. Ours still does, almost five decades later.

🇺🇸🍷 Happy 4th, from our estate to your table.

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07/01/2026

Every great Pinot Noir spends plenty of time evolving and today, it’s time for “rack and back.”

This week, we’re carefully racking our Pinot Noir off its lees, gently separating the wine from the spent yeast and fine sediment that have settled during aging. The wine is then returned to barrel, where it will continue to mature for a few more months before bottling.

In the cellar, this task doesn’t garner much attention, but it plays an important role in refining the wine’s clarity, texture, and character while allowing it to continue developing gracefully in barrel.

The work behind every bottle is often slow, deliberate, and hands-on—and that’s exactly how we like it.

Spend your Saturday afternoon with the author who changed the wine world.This Saturday, June 27 | 1–4 PM, we’re thrilled...
06/26/2026

Spend your Saturday afternoon with the author who changed the wine world.

This Saturday, June 27 | 1–4 PM, we’re thrilled to welcome Rex Pickett, author of Sideways, to Schug Winery.

Whether you’re a fan of the book, the iconic film, or simply love Pinot Noir, stop by for an informal afternoon of great wine, great conversation, and stories from the man behind one of wine’s most influential novels.

🍷 We’ll be pouring a selection of special Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines alongside our current releases—including a few library and limited-production favorites available just for the occasion.

📚 Meet Rex and have your copy of Sideways signed (books will be available for purchase).

🧀 Small cheese boards will be available, or bring your own picnic and settle into the courtyard.

No tickets. No formal program. Just exceptional wine, good friends, and an unforgettable afternoon.

📍 Schug Winery
602 Bonneau Rd., Sonoma

Courtyard open 11 AM–4 PM | Rex Pickett joins us 1–4 PM

Come raise a glass to the story that made Pinot Noir famous— who’s joining us?

Happy Father’s Day from Schug WineryThis treasured photo captures the heart of what Schug has always been about: family,...
06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day from Schug Winery

This treasured photo captures the heart of what Schug has always been about: family, tradition, and a love centered around building something together.

From the vineyards of Sonoma to the dinner tables where wine is shared, we’re reminded that some of life’s greatest wisdom come from the fathers, grandfathers, and father figures who teach us the value of hard work, curiosity, and connection.

Today we raise a glass to all the dads who nurture, guide, encourage, and inspire.

Happy Father’s Day from our family to yours. 🍷

06/19/2026

A foggy, misty morning in the Estate Vineyard offers a close-up look at the season’s progress. Johannes is checking on Block 10, home to our Dijon clones Pinot Noir, where clusters are developing beautifully and berries are beginning to size up.

These cool morning conditions are part of what makes the estate here so special for Pinot Noir. The gentle marine influence helps preserve freshness and balance as the vines move through this important stage of the growing season.

Every cluster tells part of the vintage, and it’s exciting to watch the fruit take shape one day at a time.

05/28/2026

Thunder and lightning over Sonoma in late May.

Not something we expect as a rule as we border summertime, but it came and went and by morning, the vines in Block 10 were already dry again, thanks to the steady coastal breeze moving through the tightly clustered Pinot Noir.

It’s one of the subtle advantages of growing near the coast. That natural airflow helps relieve pressure in the vineyard, allowing Pinot Noir to thrive here season after season.

A reminder that vineyard site shapes everything, sometimes overnight.

05/25/2026

Today, we pause to remember and honor those who gave their lives in service to our country.

Here in Carneros, the vines move quietly beneath the flag, carried by the same wind that shapes this place we call home. A reminder that freedom, like farming, is never something to take for granted.

Wishing you a meaningful Memorial Day spent around good food, good company, and moments that make us slow down and savor the present.

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602 Bonneau Road
Sonoma, CA
95476

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