Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A zesty, stainless-steel and neutral oak-fermented white, this lovely wine expresses grapefruit peel and mango, along with a flash of melon. Zesty on the finish, it provides a well-hewn balance between fruit and acidity, with plenty of body.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Wild and zany, only a handful of us wine crazy folks have ever experienced this level of quality in a California Sauvignon Blanc and here it is right in front of us. From the Chalk Hill AVA of Sonoma County, the 2013 Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc shows us that this overlooked varietal can rise up and stand out in a crowd. Simply stated this is a super fine wine. Medium straw in color, shows wild aromas of dried citrus and lemon curd, some mineral and earth chipped in for good measure; medium bodied, zippy and bright on the palate; dry, fine acidity, well balanced; steely flavors, with mineral and more soft citrus notes; crisp and frisky in the aftertaste. Perfect with unadorned shellfish. (Tasted: January 15, 2016, 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.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
A vast appellation covering Sonoma County’s Pacific coastline, the Sonoma Coast AVA runs all the way from the Mendocino County border, south to the San Pablo Bay. The region can actually be divided into two sections—the actual coastal vineyards, marked by marine soils, cool temperatures and saline ocean breezes—and the warmer, drier vineyards further inland, which are still heavily influenced by the Pacific but not quite with same intensity.
Contained within the appellation are the much smaller Fort Ross-Seaview and Petaluma Gap AVAs.
The Sonoma Coast is highly regarded for elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and, increasingly, cool-climate Syrah. The wines have high acidity, moderate alcohol, firm tannin, and balanced ripeness.