Winemaker Notes
Lively acidity on the finish makes it an ideal accompaniment to grilled fish and fowl or barbecued meats.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
From the western portion of Carneros and the Petaluma Gap, low-yield vineyards in a cool, windy climate keep the acidity high in this brightly-lit Pinot Noir. An earthy nose with a hint of spicy black tea leads to a peppered, lean palate with touches of nutmeg, and clove. Cherry skin and orange peel are sweet and bitter on the nice, firm, and ripe ending.
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Decanter
A meaty and gamey nose, with ripe red berry fruits and well-integrated oak. It has a fresh, limpid attack on the palate, with bright cherry stone fruit and earthy tones, before the structured tannins kick in.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: One of the great things about Schug is that this winery makes consistently fine and delectable wines. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows bright red fruit, a zesty palate, and a pure and crisp finish. It should pair nicely with lightly-spiced rotisserie chicken. (Tasted: June 6, 2018, 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.
The Sonoma Coast AVA is large in area but, not counting overlapping regions like Russian River Valley, only has a few thousand acres of grapevines—and it’s no wonder. Much of the region is rugged and not easily accessible. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean’s fog and cool breezes limits the varieties that can be cultivated, but it proves to be an ideal environment for high quality Pinot Noir.
Since fog is a frequent fact of life here, as are heavy marine layers that sometimes bring rain, the best vineyards are wisely planted above the fog line, on picturesque ridges that capture enough sun to provide even ripening. That, with the overnight drop in temperature that reliably preserves acidity, results in fine expressions of Pinot Noir that often receive tremendous critic and consumer praise alike, and are often in high demand.