Winemaker Notes
A bouquet reminiscent of roses, ripe cherries, and a meaty smokiness lead to savory flavors of black cherry and plum, finishing with hints of tobacco and spicy new oak.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Lovely complexity to this with dried strawberries, mushrooms and some flowers, following through to a full-bodied, tight and polished palate with long, tight tannins. Really pretty. Drink or hold.
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Tasting Panel
Earthy notes of root vegetables and pomegranate are enveloped in dried roses: what a perfume! On the palate, candied orange peel, bright cherry, and a touch of mocha are lean, and dotted with white pepper. Lovely, light-bodied, with well-balanced acidity and a touch of oak.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Schug Carneros Estate Grown Pinot Noir is attractive from start to finish. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits excellent aroma and flavors of ripe red and black fruit, with earth and oak notes. Pair it with a well-spiced rack of lamb. (Tasted: November 22, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a light-bodied, earthy and textured estate wine, brightly layered in pomegranate and strawberry flavors. Varietal seasonings of clove and black tea give it complexity and a lengthy, savory finish.
Schug Winery was founded in 1980 with unwavering dedication to Pinot Noir excellence—a specialization that spans 45 years and sets them apart from generalist wineries. Walter Schug, the legendary winemaker who created Joseph Phelps' iconic Insignia, established his legacy in Carneros, where low-intervention Old World winemaking meets California terroir.
Today, 5th-generation German winemaker Johannes Scheid continues this authentic heritage with wines that consistently score 90+ points across their entire portfolio. Johannes trained at Walter's alma mater in Germany, bringing multi-generational European winemaking expertise to their sustainable California practices.
What makes Schug exceptional is their genuine commitment to specialization and authenticity. While others spread their focus across multiple varietals, they've perfected their craft with nearly half a century devoted to exceptional Pinot Noir. This deep expertise, combined with their European winemaking tradition and compelling value proposition, has driven their national expansion and established Schug as a trusted name among wine enthusiasts who appreciate both heritage and quality.
As early as the 1970s Carneros became known as a source of terrific Pinot Noir, and was one of the first California regions to gain such a reputation. The combination of sunny days, cooling fog and thin clay soils are tailor-made for the variety. Another factor in Pinot Noir’s prominent place here is vintners’ willingness to experiment widely. The history of the grape in Carneros is marked by continuous research into clonal variations, viticultural techniques and site selection. Careful evaluation over time has revealed a signature flavor profile as well. Complex aromas and flavors of cherry, red berry, spice, earth and cola appear time and again in Carneros Pinot Noir. To this day the appellation remains one of California’s standard bearers for the variety.