Winemaker Notes
Bright apple and citrus flavors give way to full-bodied texture and a long finish.
Try with shellfish, cream soups, chicken, veal, or rich pasta dishes.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Aged sur-lie for eight months in (30% new) French oak, and an addition of the Musque clone, results in enticing aromas of lemon verbena, fig, and honeyed pears. Full bodied, silky, and toasty, with lingering notes of vanilla nougat.
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James Suckling
Aromas of lemon peel, baked apple and tarragon. Medium-bodied, starting bright and fresh, then developing some lovely, yeasty complexity as it evolves. Rather charming.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2019 Schug Carneros Estate Grown Chardonnay is complex and lasts on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine excels with aromas and flavors of apple skin and hints of sandalwood. Enjoy it with steamed Dungeness crab. (Tasted: July 18, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
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.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.