Winemaker Notes
This classic Carneros region Pinot Noir offers a wide range of flavors and aromas, in the tradition of the finest red Burgundies of France. “Clonal diversity” is achieved by carefully blending several vineyard lots, each retaining its own unique clonal signature in the blend. The result is a complex wine with a rich bouquet of cherries, berries and hints of spicy new oak. It has flavors reminiscent of black cherry, currant and strawberry, followed by a rich, spicy texture and a long silky finish.
This wine pairs nicely with lamb, duck, even grilled fish.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Dried strawberries with bark and fresh-mushroom undertones. Black-tea notes, too. Full-bodied, yet tightly wound with firm tannins that frame the wine nicely. Soft, creamy tannins. Drink or hold.
-
Tasting Panel
Defined by spiced cedar and a rapture of cinnamon-kissed cherry, this delicate Pinot Noir offers just a touch of earth as well as freshness imparted by an energetic acid structure.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Schug Carneros Pinot Noir is attractive, focused, and persistent. TASTING NOTES: This wine deftly combines vivid red fruit, savory spices, and hints of oak aroma and flavors. Pair it with grilled mint-accented lamb chops. (Tasted: November 22, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
-
Wine Spectator
Vibrant cherry, plum and currant flavors are supported by fine-grained tannins. Hints of hot stone emerge midpalate, leading to a finish that lingers with cedar and spice accents and zesty minerality. Drink now through 2023.
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.