OUR HISTORY

Proprietors Fred & Sally Schweiger have owned this land since the early 1960s. It’s not uncommon for visitors to meet them, along with their son, Andy, our winemaker.

Our style of winemaking comes from Fred’s passionate artisan vineyard methods, concentrated quality wine production and unique winemaking style reflective of our terroir. Due to meticulous viticulture practices, the dark red wines produced from our mountain fruit have intense flavors.

We are located in the Spring Mountain District Appellation on land with a distinctive micro-climate; we do not get the thick layer of fog in the mornings as the valley floor vineyards do. This helps our fruit ripen with more sunlight. The complexity of flavors in our wines are attributed in part by the four types of volcanic soil on our property. We dry-farm our vines, which allows our grapevine roots to grow 25 feet deep, where the vines have access to water and the nutrients they need to produce quality grapes.

Timeline

Schweiger Estate

1961

Humble Beginnings

Fred found an amazing parcel of land for sale at the very top of the Mayacamas mountain range. After several friendly meetings, he purchased the property, completely forested, for $250 an acre.

1979

Schweiger Vineyards Takes Root

Schweiger Vineyards Takes Root

Record high-interest rates put a pause in Fred’s construction business. Not being ones to sit idle, Fred and Sally decided to clear the land and plant and develop a vineyard on their own.

1984

Early Beginnings in the vineyard

We journey from root to glass

Our first harvest of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Over the years, our grapes were sold to many of Napa Valley’s top wineries.

1994

First vintage

Sally and Fred work with their son Andy to create the first vintage of Schweiger Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

2000

Schweiger Dedication Wine

Inaugural vintage of Dedication

Inspired by the blends he helped create at other wineries, Andy creates a new expression of our Spring Mountain Terroir, blending estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec to bring an intensely layered new entry into our growing family of wines

2001

Schweiger Wine Club event

Extended Family Wine Club Release

Club members also have enjoyed fun food and wine pairings at parties over the years or even in-home winemaker events.

2009

First Bottling of Cabernet Franc and Malbec

Cabernet Franc and Malbec get their own varietal bottlings! Originally planted exclusively as blending components for Dedication, by 2009, the vines had matured enough to create uniquely different varietal offerings.

2009

2009 Gate Block

First Vintage of Gate Block and Montaire

These micro productions showcase the nuanced differences terroir can make in aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel in a small 35-acre vineyard such as ours.

2016

Napuro makes its debut

Inspired during a trip to Portugal the previous year, we produce our first port-style wine made from Chardonnay. We decided to name it after the merging of the two regions Napa meets Douro.

2019

We make our first Pinot Noir

Our first harvest of Pinot Noir. We are one of only two wineries growing Pinot Noir in the Spring Mountain District, and the highest elevation Pinot Noir in all of Napa County.