Schramsberg
While the quality of the estate is well known throughout the world of fine wine, many regard Schramsberg as the king of Amercian sparkling, few people would know the remarkable history of this famous estate.
In 1965 the Davies family took over the historic Schramsberg property on the edge of California’s Napa Valley. This historic property consists of some original California architecture and some old caves built by Chinese labours in 1870 the first hillside caves for aging wine in California. The business saw initial success producing over 300,000 bottles of wine by 1890. Prohibition and the death of the founder Jacob Schramn saw the property sold, and wine had not been produced wine since 1912.
A few years later in1972 they had a remarkable break. There third cuvee Blanc de Blanc 1969 had been supplied by a Washington merchant for President Nixon’s Inauguration dinner, and he liked it. When a wine was required to toast a historic “Toast to Peace” with China’s Premier Zhou Enlai in china, Schramsberg was called for. Yet a dilemma, the Washington merchant didn’t have enough and the winery only made 5000 bottles. But this was the wine; an air force plane was dispatched, the Davies family where requested to drive the wine (15 dozen) to the nearest air force base, they had four hours. The wine was delivered, the plane took off, the Davies family returned home not really knowing what was going on. But the next day there was president Nixon and China’s Premier Zhou Enlai on the front page of the Washington Post with Schramsberg Blanc de blanc.
Schramsberg’s sparkling wines have been served at official State functions by every U.S. Presidential administration since.
In 1965 the Davies family took over the historic Schramsberg property on the edge of California’s Napa Valley. This historic property consists of some original California architecture and some old caves built by Chinese labours in 1870 the first hillside caves for aging wine in California. The business saw initial success producing over 300,000 bottles of wine by 1890. Prohibition and the death of the founder Jacob Schramn saw the property sold, and wine had not been produced wine since 1912.
A few years later in1972 they had a remarkable break. There third cuvee Blanc de Blanc 1969 had been supplied by a Washington merchant for President Nixon’s Inauguration dinner, and he liked it. When a wine was required to toast a historic “Toast to Peace” with China’s Premier Zhou Enlai in china, Schramsberg was called for. Yet a dilemma, the Washington merchant didn’t have enough and the winery only made 5000 bottles. But this was the wine; an air force plane was dispatched, the Davies family where requested to drive the wine (15 dozen) to the nearest air force base, they had four hours. The wine was delivered, the plane took off, the Davies family returned home not really knowing what was going on. But the next day there was president Nixon and China’s Premier Zhou Enlai on the front page of the Washington Post with Schramsberg Blanc de blanc.
Schramsberg’s sparkling wines have been served at official State functions by every U.S. Presidential administration since.