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What We Say 2007 Sonoma Valley Merlot
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Mission Codename: Founding Squared
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Respond to operative requests and return to Schug Carneros Estate and retrieve thier latest Sonoma Coast Merlot
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Schug Carneros Estate
Wine Subject: 2007 Sonoma Valley Merlot
Winemaker: Michael Cox
Backgrounder:
Walter Schug is, arguably, one of the founding fathers of California wine. When Walter came to the United States to make wines, he co-created, with Joseph Phelps, legendary California wines. Insignia was born, vaulting California – and Walter Schug – into the wine-making spotlight.
To true wine lovers, Merlot is one of the finest wine varietals in the world. Today, Merlot continues to sell in record numbers across the US, outpacing most other varietals. Merlot is a sincere, food-fabulous wine for serious wine drinkers. Today’s wine raises the bar for Sonoma Merlot, by delivering a delicious, complex, fruit-forward wine with plenty of complexity
The Sonoma Valley AVA is one of the oldest wine growing regions in California with the first vines being planted in the early 1800s. The AVA is located along California Route 12 and its eastern boundary are the southern end of the Mayacama mountains. The unique micro-climate with less rainfall and fog than other parts of the region along with its unique soil provides ideal growing conditions for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Zinfandel.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Robustly ruby red in color with a deep but clear heart. The color remains consistent and dense nearly to the very edge and when swirled, clusters of widely and randomly spaced fat legs slowly creep down the side of the glass.
Smell – Ripe and tart red fruit leads the way with red and Bing cherry melding with spice and toasted oak, green herbal and earthy notes and a touch of anise. Other aromas of dark bittersweet chocolate and a hint of undergrowth adding complexity.
Feel – Finely textured and smooth tannins lead the way and warms the palate on this dry and full-bodied red. A healthy dose of acidity and textured minerality adds to the the structure of this wine.
Taste – Tart, ripe and slightly pulpy red and Bing cherry and spice glide over the palate with toasted oak following suit. The other aromas as found on the nose make their appearance on the palate especially the peppery spice, green herbs, and bittersweet chocolate.
Finish – Medium long in length with the tart spiced fruit fading first followed by the other flavors, and leaving behind hints of the textured minerality, acidity and tannins that linger and invite another sip.
Conclusion – This 2007 Schug Sonoma Valley Merlot is a very nice wine that shows that Merlot can be well structured when made with exceptional fruit and expert wine-making. Classic varietal character on the nose and palate with complex spice, toasted oak and green herbal notes adding depth. Enjoy this wine tonight with grilled steak tips, a winter stew or even roasted chicken, giving it time to open up or cellar for three to five years.
Mission Report:
Winemaker, Michael Cox, was too busy in the vineyards to spend time with us for an interview, this time round. What follows is our previous interview with Michael,in which he refers to a different wine than the fantastic wine we are showing, today.
WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER
SUBJECT: Michael Cox
WINE EDUCATION: Started working in Sonoma wineries out of high school. Graduated form UC Davis in 1991
CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Winemaker for Schug Winery since 1995
WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY:
Don’t get to fancy, let the vines and the yeast do their stuff. Just don’t mess up what mother nature intended.
WINEMAKER QUOTE: From Tao Te Ching: “The hard and stiff will be broken, the soft and supple will prevail.”
FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1993 Napa Valley Chardonnay from DeMoor (Napa Cellars)
WINEMAKER INTERVIEW
AGENT RED: Greetings, Mike. We are thrilled to be showing your fantastic wine today. Thanks so much for the wine, and for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.
MICHAEL: Thanks Red, we are so happy that you continue to love our wines. We always enjoy your detailed reviews – and these sit-downs!
RED: The pleasure is all ours, I assure you. How long have you been making wine?
MICHAEL: My first job in a wine cellar was when I was 19. I got a summer job working at Hacienda Wine Cellars (pre Bronco – then family owned by the Cooleys).
RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?
MICHAEL: Not sure if it is specific, but that summer of 1987, working on the bottling line, cleaning barrels, driving all over Sonoma County sampling vineyards, long wide ranging conversations on music and farming with the winemaker, Eric Laumann all combined to sell me on the idea that growing and making wine would afford me the ability to continue to live in Sonoma Valley.
RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?
MICHAEL: Hmmmm. Tough one. I spent my formative years from 1987 -1991 at Hacienda, a year at Dry Creek Vineyards, got my first‘Winemaker’ job at Napa Cellars/DeMoor, and have spent coming on 14 years here at Schug with Walter. I’d probably have to say my time at Napa Cellars. I was 25 and they gave me the keys and said ‘drive’. I learned to get things done, not to waste time or money, and how to pull together a wine from vineyard to bottle. For all the talk of art, it is also a big logistics game.
RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?
MICHAEL: I’ll happily steal from Robert Mondavi here: ‘The first glass of wine should invite the second.’ I don’t like flabby, heavy, ponderous wines. I want brightness and zip. Elegance is foremost.
RED: Walter Schug is a legend in the wine business. How has he influenced you?
MICHAEL: Walter has been, and continues to be a mentor. I am very fortunate that Walter saw in me someone with the kernel of his own winemaking style that he could nurture and develop. He is a font of knowledge that I can tap into at any time. With just about any situation he’s seen it in his own experience here, at Gallo, or as consultant, at least twice.
RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?
MICHAEL: We already talked about Walter being a mentor, but Eric Laumann, who gave me my first job was also very important. He certainly instilled a confidence in myself and the wines that make. He also is a reminder to not
take yourself too seriously, just the wine.
RED: Who do you make wine for?
MICHAEL: Myself foremost. Plan D is always to just drink it all ourselves, so it better be good.
RED: Whoa… Umm, YUM! Tell me, what makes the Carneros region so special?
MICHAEL: It is a small region, so within our borders there is a lot of consistency. Appellations like Sonoma Coast and Russian River just don’t have the same climate conditions throughout the appellation. We have two main dominating features: the wind and the water. Wind is where the cool ocean air forces it’s way though the Petaluma Gap into the bay and interior valley. It cools us in summer and brings the fog. The water is the San Pablo Bay and the wetlands that surround it. In winter, it buys us a few extra degrees and gets the vines going early. Between the wind and the water, the growing season in Carneros can be up to two weeks longer than our neighbors. At the same time, we don’t have to push the growing season into late September/early October, so rain is not normally an issue. On top of that Carneros is pretty dry as far as Northern California goes, though this year it has been downright silly. 1” of rain in June? The record in the past 20 years was less than a quarter of an inch…
RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?
MICHAEL: Trust yourself and your palette. Don’t chase a style or someone else’s opinion. Be ready to work and get down and dirty. Don’t expect a lot other than the reward of the wine itself.
RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?
MICHAEL: Thinking about the 2011 vintage, planning meetings for the vineyard, evaluating barrels, tasting the 2010’s, planning bottlings, catching up on paperwork, walking the vineyard to keep an eye on the current crop, getting ready for a wine club event….
RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know
MICHAEL: Considering how much I enjoyed NASCAR, I may well be a closet redneck.
RED: Nice. What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?
MICHAEL: Well until recently it had been Laurenz V.’s Gruener Veltliner, either the Singing or the Charming, but I have been drinking a lot of our dry Rose of Pinot Noir of late.
RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?
MICHAEL: Well wine is for sharing with friends so have some people you like around and start opening bottles. Schug wines always get better of the course of a meal as the layers start to unveil themselves. Don’t rush into it. Relax and enjoy.
RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?
MICHAEL: The Holy Trinity from E. Guigal – La Turque, La Mouline, La Landonne. Odd for a Pinot maker, but I could drink those all night.
RED: What is the one question that I should have asked you, and what is your answer to that question?
MICHAEL: Hmmmm. How about: ‘If you couldn’t make wine, what would you do?’ And to be honest, I am not sure of the answer… I always say that my retirement plan is to move to Hawaii (Kauai – westside) and make rum, but that’s a bit close to winemaking… So perhaps a historian and author. 18th and 19th century European to be a bit more precise.
RED: Very cool. Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!
MICHAEL: No problem. Thanks again for having me. I hope I covered what you wanted to know. Glad you like the wine, I hope your Operatives do, too.
And here is a recap of Agent Red’s original interview with Walter Schug:
I had the incredible great fortune to meet with one of the wine industry’s most respected and renowned wine craftsmen in California wine history.
Walter Schug, owner and winemaster at Schug Carneros Estate, was born into wine in Germany in 1936, where his father was winemaker for one of Germany’s top Pinot Noir Producers.
As a young man, Walter worked throughout Europe, honing his craft. In 1966 Julio Gallo asked Walter to oversee all grapegrowing and quality control for the company. Seven years later, after Walter’s reputation had grown, Joseph Phelps asked Walter to become Phelps’ winemaker at his new Napa Valley winery.
Walter helped to create the *_Insignia*_ label and some of the finest and most sought after Bordeaux-style blends in the country. Walter crafted wines that set the high water mark for excellence in winemaking.
To this day, Walter Schug’s early influence on the industry lives on, with wineries across California and around the world emulating his winemaking style.
With Phelps, Walter Schug’s goal was to make the best Bordeaux-style blend possible. Today, Walter Schug’s philosophy remains largely unchanged. There is one big difference, however; Where a bottle of Insignia may cost you $200 or more, a Schug wine of comparable quality with cost you less than $60.
On arriving at the Schug winery last week, I am greeted by Axel Schug, Director of Marketing for the winery and the son of Walter Schug. Axel, with whom I had met previously, introduces me to his father, and then escorts me through the bowels of the winery, to a tasting room buried in a wine cave. The long table the stretches down the tunnel is surrounded on both sides by seemingly every vintage from Schug’s history.
As I am escorted to my seat, I notice several magnums of Insignia wine and I spot one bottle in a special wooden display. Walter Schug sees me looking at it and he takes it from the display and shows it to me. The bottle is from Joseph Phelps himself, and a touching tribute to Walter Schug, from Phelps, is engraved on the back.
What follows is a partial transcript of our conversation:
AGENT RED: Mr. Schug, thank you so much for making yourself available today. It is an honor to meet you!
WALTER SCHUG: Welcome, Agent Red.
AGENT RED: Let me first say that your wines blow me away. The winery is beautiful as well. I love Carneros and wines from the region. You are really a pioneer of the region. When it came time to build your own winery, how did you come to settle here?
WALTER SCHUG: When I was with Gallo, I sourced fruit from Carneros. I recognized the region as having great potential for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Given my passion for Pinot, settling in Carneros was a natural.
AGENT RED: And, when you did settle, you produced a fair amount of Chardonnay, did you not?
WALTER SCHUG: Yes, and it was excellent, too. It still is. Back then, Chardonnay subsidized my passion for Pinot Noir! It allowed me to perfect Pinot here.
AGENT RED: This Cabernet Sauvignon we are drinking today’s 2003 Heritage CS is incredible. How has your philosophy changed from your Insignia days?
WALTER SCHUG: Very little. The goal now, as it was with Phelps back then, is to create the very best wine that we possibly can. And, to do so without recipe or formula.
AGENT RED: Ahh. Whereas I have heard that Insignia is more formulaic in its approach to winemaking today. Instead, your proportions or even fruit sources may change a good deal – if it means making wines that are that much better. Am I correct?
WALTER SCHUG: Yes, this is true. This Cabernet is streamlined and far more European in character. This is a wine that has elegance, delicacy, finesse – this is what I strive for in all of my wines!
AGENT RED: Again, this is a great wine and I am sure that our Operatives will love it. I also look forward to bringing them your Pinot Noir, during a future mission.
WALTER SCHUG: If they appreciate wines that are made for the best enjoyment, they will love this wine. In the end this wine is not made by going to the vineyard and knowing what you are going to get. Rather, it is the result of meticulous blending of wines made from the best fruit. Again, it is my mission to create wines that are the best expressions of place. It is my mission to make wines that are to be enjoyed.
AGENT RED: Mission accomplished, Mr. Schug, Mission accomplished!
WALTER SCHUG: Thank you, Agent Red.
We talked a great deal about Walter Schug’s history and his influence and impact on the wine industry. While I was certainly impressed by his incredible history, I must say that what impressed me the most – what seemed to matter to me the most – was what the Schug Carneros Estate winery was doing today. Today, Schug is crafting remarkably beautiful wines that are a true delight to drink and enjoy!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Schug Carneros Estate can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Schug Carneros Estate
About This Wine:
Merlot is blended in the Bordeaux style, adding Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc for depth and complexity. The Merlot grapes were sourced from the Ricci Vineyard and Sangiacomo “Donnell Ranch” in the Carneros district of southern Sonoma Valley, as well as the Sabhari Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain. These cooler microclimates provide the longer growing season necessary for Merlot to ripen slowly and develop maximum flavor. It has a spicy bouquet, deep color and exhibits full-bodied flavors of cherry, blackberry and spice. Try it now with grilled fish, pasta, lamb and steaks, or cellar it for 5 to 7 years.
About The 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’s reputation blossomed during his tenure as Founding Winemaker for Joseph Phelps Vineyards in the 1970s, where he made California’s first proprietary Bordeaux-Style blend (Insignia) and legendary vineyard designated Cabernets (Bacchus and Eisele Vineyards).
Drawing on his long experience in the production of fine wines in both Europe and California, Walter set up his own winery with his wife Gertrud in the cool, marine climate of the Carneros Appellation. Here he could focus on the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals that had always been close to his heart.
In 1995 Sonoma-born winemaker Michael Cox came on board at Schug. Trained in Enology at UC Davis, Mike worked in several Californian wineries before he was lured from Napa Valley to Carneros – Sonoma, to work with Walter Schug as his assistant winemaker. One year later he was promoted to Winemaker and placed in charge of the day-to-day winemaking duties, where he remains today.
Schug Carneros Estate Winery combines old world understanding and tradition with modern winemaking techniques. By using only the finest grapes available, and maintaining the best winemaking values, these wines have gained acceptance worldwide as true contemporary classics.
About The Winemakers:
Walter Schug, Winemaker – A native of Germany’s Rhein River valley, Walter Schug was raised in Assmannshausen, on the region’s only Pinot Noir estate. He marked his first harvest in 1953, apprenticing at all nine of the famed wine estates of Hessen, in the Rheingau region of Germany.
In 1959, after finishing his studies with a diploma in Viticulture and Enology at the prestigious German wine institute of Geisenheim, Walter left for California. He spent a year expanding his knowledge while working at a winery and taking extension courses at UC Davis. Two years later, he returned to California for good, with his wife Gertrud, to work as the Assistant Superintendent at California Grape Products Corporation. In 1966 Julio Gallo asked him to be the family’s Head of Grower Relations and Quality Control for Northern California. Gallo’s involvement on the North Coast led Walter to become acquainted with over 600 independent growers and several thousand acres of prime vineyards in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino County.
By 1973, Walter’s experience was sought out by Joseph Phelps to establish Joseph Phelps Vineyards in Napa Valley, and that year began his 10 vintages as Vice President and Winemaker for the new enterprise. Among Walter’s many contributions to the Napa Valley’s newly emerging fame were:
- California’s first proprietary Bordeaux-Style blend (Insignia)
- Legendary vineyard designated wines (Bacchus and Eisele Vineyards)
- The first varietal Syrah in the US.
- Pioneering late harvest dessert wines (Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Scheurebe)
By 1980, however, there was little market in California for Pinot Noir, and Phelps ceased production of the varietal. Reluctant to stop working with the grape of his childhood home and firmly believing in its future, Walter came to an arrangement with Joseph Phelps that he would continue his regular work at the winery, yet produce Pinot Noir under his own private label.
Three years later, Walter’s private project had grown to such an extent that he made the decision to leave Phelps and concentrate on the Schug brand. Since then the winery has grown from a 2,000 case production to 30,000 cases a year. In June 2003 Walter celebrated his 50th harvest, an achievement which very few in California can claim.
Today as Winemaster, Walter continues to oversee the production of consistently great wines, along with winemaker Michael Cox.
Michael Cox, Winemaker – A Northern California native, Winemaker Michael Cox grew up in Sonoma and spent time in both the Sonoma and Napa wine producing regions as a student. His local head start gave him an enviable background that most young winemakers find very difficult to achieve.
Mike first attended the University of California at Los Angeles, studying chemical engineering and working in a wine cellar during the summer. It was then that his love for wine surfaced and took him down another road. In order to become a member of the wine industry, he transferred to the U.C. Davis campus and graduated with a degree in Enology in 1991. Mike also took advantage of coming home from school each summer to work at Sonoma area wineries, gaining good solid experience every step of the way. He worked his way up through the cellars of two prestigious wineries, Hacienda and Dry Creek Vineyards, during and after he finished school. His first full Winemaker position was at DeMoor Winery in 1992. Mike likes to work closely with growers and prefers small production vineyards that contribute unique qualities to his blends. The Carneros grapes Mike works with at Schug offer unrivaled wine-making opportunities due to their unique diversity and complex, well-developed flavor characteristics.
In the cellar, his focus is on staying abreast of current winemaking developments. He favors progressive use of the newer technologies available to winemakers today, such as the Voll Tauchers, hydraulic punch-down fermenters that automate the process of gently punching down the cap during fermentation. Mike also has the impressive ability to manage the hundreds of separate lots stored in the cellars before blending, including the judicious adaptation of specific barrel coopers to specific vineyard lots, in order to emphasize the terroir.
As Winemaker, an important member of the Schug family team, Mike works closely with Winemaster Walter Schug and Sales & Marketing Director Axel Schug. Together their winemaking talents create the premium Carneros and Sonoma wines with the European flair that Schug is famous for.
Technical Analysis:
APPELLATION: Sonoma Valley
ALCOHOL: 14.0% by volume
