Schramsberg Vineyards
Encyclopedia
Schramsberg Vineyards is a well-known winery located in Calistoga, California
in the Napa Valley region. The vineyard, which was originally founded in 1862 produces a series of sparkling wine
s using the same method as champagne. Schramsberg is considered one of the premium brands in the production of sparkling wine in California and the first U.S. wine to "match the style and quality of the best French Champagnes".
After nearly 50 years of inactivity, Schramsberg was acquired by Jack and Jamie Davies in 1965 who began producing champagne method wine. Today, Schramsberg is managed by Hugh Davies, the youngest son of Jack and Jamie Davies.
and came to the U.S. in 1852. Schram married Annie Weaver, also of German descent in 1859.
After clearing the property, Schram and his wife began planting a variety of grapes to produce wine. In the 1870s, Schram dug cellars into hills on the property and by 1876 Schramsberg was producing 12,000 gallons. Within a few years, Schramsberg had expanded to over 50 acres (20.2 ha) and was producing 12,000 cases each year.
Schramsberg gained significant attention in the 1880s when it was featured in Robert Louis Stevenson
's book The Silverado Squatters
. Stevenson, accompanied by his new bride Fanny Vandegrift
and her 12 year old son from a previous marriage, Lloyd Osbourne
, spent the late spring and early summer of 1880 honeymooning in the Napa Valley. In the book, Stevenson documented his ventures in the area and profiled several of the early pioneers who played a role in shaping the region's commerce and society. He relates that while visiting Schramsberg, he tasted eighteen different wines. Stevenson writes:
Schramsberg continued to prosper through the end of the 19th century. Annie Schram died in the summer of 1901 after falling ill the previous autumn. Jacob Schram died four years later in 1905, leaving the property and the winemaking business to his son Herman Schram.
In 1951, Schramsberg was sold again, this time to Douglas Pringle. Pringle's wife, Katharine Cebrian lobbied for the winery to be named a state historical landmark which it was in 1957. Following the Pringles' divorce in 1959 the property was not used for a number of years.
Rather than produce the typical varietal
s of wine found in Napa at that time, the Davies determined to produce Champagne (or sparkling wine
to be more technically accurate) in the same method as was used in France.
In 1972, Schramsberg's 1969 vintage "Blanc de Blancs" (white of whites) was served at the "Toast to Peace
" in Beijing, between Richard Nixon
and Chou Enlai. Since that time, Schramsberg's wines have been served by every subsequent presidential administration.
Schramsberg earned numerous awards over the years. In 1995, Schramsberg was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Festival of Méthode Champenoise and in 1996 the James Beard Foundation
awarded Schramsberg the Wine and Spirits Professional Award
for "making a significant impact in the wine and spirits industry."
In 1996, Hugh Davies, the youngest son of Jack and Jamie Davies joined the winery full time. Hugh had earned a master's degree in enology from the University of California, Davis
. Hugh, coincidentally was born in 1965, the year that the Davies family purchased the Schramsberg property.
Jack Davies died in the spring of 1998 and in 2008, Jamie Davies also died. Today, Hugh Davies serves as CEO of Schramsberg. John Winsell Davies
, one of three Davies sons, contested his family's trust agreement, which left him no share of the winery.
Calistoga, California
Calistoga is a city in Napa County, California, United States. The population was 5,155 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , 99.30% of it land and 0.70% of it water.-Climate:...
in the Napa Valley region. The vineyard, which was originally founded in 1862 produces a series of sparkling wine
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...
s using the same method as champagne. Schramsberg is considered one of the premium brands in the production of sparkling wine in California and the first U.S. wine to "match the style and quality of the best French Champagnes".
After nearly 50 years of inactivity, Schramsberg was acquired by Jack and Jamie Davies in 1965 who began producing champagne method wine. Today, Schramsberg is managed by Hugh Davies, the youngest son of Jack and Jamie Davies.
Early history (1862-1905)
In 1862, Jacob Schram purchased what would later become Schramsberg in the hills of Napa Valley with the intention of producing wine. Although Schram was born into a winemaking family, he made his living as a barber. Scram was one a small group of early winemakers to arrive in Napa in the middle of the 19th century. Schram was born in 1826 in Pfeddersheim, GermanyWorms-Pfeddersheim
The former free imperial city Pfeddersheim is a borough of Worms since 1969. It became a borough after 2,000 years of independent history.Pfeddersheim is located in the Pfrimm valley in Rhenish Hesse and surrounded by Riesling vineyards...
and came to the U.S. in 1852. Schram married Annie Weaver, also of German descent in 1859.
After clearing the property, Schram and his wife began planting a variety of grapes to produce wine. In the 1870s, Schram dug cellars into hills on the property and by 1876 Schramsberg was producing 12,000 gallons. Within a few years, Schramsberg had expanded to over 50 acres (20.2 ha) and was producing 12,000 cases each year.
Schramsberg gained significant attention in the 1880s when it was featured in Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
's book The Silverado Squatters
The Silverado Squatters
The Silverado Squatters is Robert Louis Stevenson's travel memoir of his two-month honeymoon trip with Fanny Vandegrift to Napa Valley, California in the late spring and early summer of 1880....
. Stevenson, accompanied by his new bride Fanny Vandegrift
Fanny Vandegrift
Frances Matilda Van de Grift Osbourne Stevenson was the wife of Robert Louis Stevenson and mother of Isobel and Lloyd Osbourne.-Early life:...
and her 12 year old son from a previous marriage, Lloyd Osbourne
Lloyd Osbourne
Samuel Lloyd Osbourne was an American author and the stepson of Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson with whom he would co-author three books and provide input and ideas on others.-Early life:...
, spent the late spring and early summer of 1880 honeymooning in the Napa Valley. In the book, Stevenson documented his ventures in the area and profiled several of the early pioneers who played a role in shaping the region's commerce and society. He relates that while visiting Schramsberg, he tasted eighteen different wines. Stevenson writes:
- "I was interested in California wine. Indeed, I am interested in all wines and have been all my life, from the raisin wine that a school-fellow kept secreted in his play-box up to my last discovery, those notable Valtellines that once shone upon the board of Caesar... A California vineyard, one of man's outposts in the wilderness, has features of its own. There is nothing here to remind you of the Rhine or Rhone, of the low cote d'or or the infamous and scabby deserts of Champagne; but all is green, solitary, covert. We visited two of them, Mr. Schram's and Mr. McEachran's, sharing the same glen..."
Schramsberg continued to prosper through the end of the 19th century. Annie Schram died in the summer of 1901 after falling ill the previous autumn. Jacob Schram died four years later in 1905, leaving the property and the winemaking business to his son Herman Schram.
Decline of Schramsberg (1905-1965)
Herman attempted to continue the business but sold the property to the Sterling Investment Company after just a few years. In 1916, the property was sold again to W. J. McKillop. Instead of producing wine, McKillop, a wealthy San Francisco businessman, used the Schramsberg as a summer home. After McKillop, the property changed hands several times over the next four decades and none of the owners used the property as a vineyard. Schramsberg was sold to Captain Raymond C. Naylor and then to John Gargano in 1940.In 1951, Schramsberg was sold again, this time to Douglas Pringle. Pringle's wife, Katharine Cebrian lobbied for the winery to be named a state historical landmark which it was in 1957. Following the Pringles' divorce in 1959 the property was not used for a number of years.
Restoration under the Davies (1965-Present)
After years of neglect, Schramsberg was sold to Jack and Jamie Davies in 1965. The couple had spent a year looking for a property in the Napa Valley to produce wine. At the time of their purchase, Schramsberg was run-down and the property had been abandoned for years.Rather than produce the typical varietal
Varietal
"Varietal" describes wines made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label. Examples of grape varieties commonly used in varietal wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot...
s of wine found in Napa at that time, the Davies determined to produce Champagne (or sparkling wine
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...
to be more technically accurate) in the same method as was used in France.
In 1972, Schramsberg's 1969 vintage "Blanc de Blancs" (white of whites) was served at the "Toast to Peace
1972 Nixon visit to China
U.S. President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to the People's Republic of China was an important step in formally normalizing relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China. It marked the first time a U.S. president had visited the PRC, who at that time considered the U.S. one...
" in Beijing, between Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
and Chou Enlai. Since that time, Schramsberg's wines have been served by every subsequent presidential administration.
Schramsberg earned numerous awards over the years. In 1995, Schramsberg was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Festival of Méthode Champenoise and in 1996 the James Beard Foundation
James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is a New York-based national professional non-profit organization named in honor of James Beard that serves to promote the culinary arts by honoring chefs, wine professionals, journalists, and cookbook authors at annual award ceremonies and providing scholarships and...
awarded Schramsberg the Wine and Spirits Professional Award
James Beard Foundation Award
The James Beard Foundation Awards were established in 1990 and are often called "The Oscars of Food." Held on the first weekend in May, the Awards honor the finest chefs, restaurants, wine professionals, journalists, cookbook authors, restaurant designers, and other food professionals in the...
for "making a significant impact in the wine and spirits industry."
In 1996, Hugh Davies, the youngest son of Jack and Jamie Davies joined the winery full time. Hugh had earned a master's degree in enology from the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
. Hugh, coincidentally was born in 1965, the year that the Davies family purchased the Schramsberg property.
Jack Davies died in the spring of 1998 and in 2008, Jamie Davies also died. Today, Hugh Davies serves as CEO of Schramsberg. John Winsell Davies
John Winsell Davies
John Winsell Davies , born circa 1964, is one of the three Davies sons who own the world renowned Schramsberg Vineyards and J. Davies Winery Estates in St. Helena, Napa Valley...
, one of three Davies sons, contested his family's trust agreement, which left him no share of the winery.