Schug Carneros Estate Winery

Founded in 1980, Schug Carneros Estate Winery is the showcase and life-long dream of one of California's most celebrated winemakers, Walter Schug. Drawing on his experience in the production of fine wines in Germany and as founding Winemaker for Joseph Phelps in California, Walter along with his wife Gertrud built the winery to focus on Pinot Noir. In 1995, Sonoma native Mike Cox joined the team as Winemaker with Walter Schug overseeing the business as Winemaster. Nestled in the hills of the cool climate of the Carneros Appellation, the winery is dedicated to Walter’s original passion for graceful and elegant Pinot Noirs.

We invite you to come and visit us at the winery. Schug Carneros Estate is situated 10 minutes’ drive from the town of Sonoma. The drive up from Bonneau Road will take you through our vineyards and rose borders to where the winery building is tucked into a hillside containing underground barrel caves. Behind the German style post-and-beam building, there is a vista point with a 360º view of the surrounding area and the opportunity to see as far as Mount Diablo on a clear day.

The free self guided vineyard tour is curently open. Spend some time outdoors walking through the vineyards at your own pace. While these tours are excellent during summer, they are available year-round (weather permitting). The program, started in 2010 by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, allows you to take no-appointment, self-guided winery vineyard tours. Just stop in the tasting room to pick up a detailed walking-tour guide and points of interest will be clearly marked along the route.

The tasting room is open daily 10am – 5pm. $15.00 tasting fee (waived with 2 bottle purchase). Groups of 6 or more need reservations for tastings. Our outdoor courtyard is open 12pm - 4pm, Thursday - Sunday from Memorial Day through the end of September serving wines by the glass, bottle, and offering full tastings (reservations are not required). Groups of 6 or more people, please see Tour & Tasting Program below and contact the winery in advance.
Private cave tours, private tastings and cheese pairings are available by appointment. Tours at Schug feature a blend of winery history, information about the Carneros region, and an overview of winemaking techniques and how those factors effect what is in your glass. Our tour route takes your group from the vineyard to the crush pad and into the winery caves. The tour ends in our wine room in the caves where you relax at private sit-down tasting paired with locally produced gourmet cheeses. Touring and tasting at Schug typically takes about an hour and a half.