The famous sign that welcomes the world to Napa Valley hosts a quote by author Robert Louis Stevenson: “…and the wine was bottled poetry.” In the early 1880’s Stevenson took his honeymoon in the northern end of Napa valley, and wrote about it in a book called Silverado Squatters. In it, he describes his visit to the property of German immigrant Jacob Schram:

“Mr. Schram’s, on the other hand, is the oldest vineyard in the valley, eighteen years old I think; yet he began a penniless barber, and even after he had broken ground up here with his black malvoisies, continued for long to tramp the valley with his razor. Now, his place is the picture of prosperity: stuffed birds on the verandah, cellars far dug into the hillside, and resting on pillars like a bandit’s cave: all trimness, varnish, flowers, and sunshine, among the tangled wildwood. Stout, smiling Mrs. Schram, who has been to Europe and apparently all about the States for pleasure, entertained Fanny in the verandah, while I was tasting wines in the cellar. To Mr. Schram this was a solemn office; his serious gusto warmed my heart; prosperity had not yet wholly banished a certain neophyte and girlish trepidation, and he followed every sip and read my face with proud anxiety. I tasted all. I tasted every variety and shade of Schramberger, red and white Schramberger, Burgundy Schramberger, Schramberger Hock, Schramberger Golden Chasselas, the latter with a notable bouquet, and I fear to think how many more. Much of it goes to London – most, I think; and Mr. Schram has a great notion of the English taste.

In this wild spot, I did not feel the sacredness of ancient cultivation. It was still raw, it was no Marathon, and no Johannesburg; yet the stirring sunlight, and the growing vines, and the vats and bottles in the cavern, made a pleasant music for the mind. Here, also, earth’s cream was being skimmed and garnered: and the customers can taste, such as it is, the tang of the earth in this green valley. So local, so quintessential is a wine, that it seems the very birds in the verandah might communicate a flavor, and that romantic cellar influence the bottle next to be uncorked in Pimlico, and the smile of jolly Mr. Schram might mantle in the glass.”

Jacob Schram was indeed a penniless barber. At the age of sixteen, to avoid being drafted into the German army, Schram set off to find his fortune in the New World, on a steamer to New York, where he first apprenticed as a barber, and then south to the Caribbean, across Panama (no canal yet) and then on a ship to California. Shaves and haircuts, trims and tonics, paid his way until he reached the Napa Valley, where he set up a barber shop in Napa City, found himself a wife named Annie Christine Weber, and settled down to a life of modest prosperity.

In 1862, as the government was beginning to offer land grants to spur development, it occurred to Schram that that he might trade one sort of shears for another, and with his savings, he purchased 200 acres on Diamond Mountain, and slowly began to plant vineyards.

Schram, and some of the others that made up this earliest wave of Napa viticulture, benefited greatly from the coincidental completion of the transcontinental railroad in San Francisco. Large numbers of Chinese immigrants who had to be “imported” specifically to work on the railroad were fanning out from San Francisco looking for work. Many found it in the burgeoning vineyards of the Napa Valley, including the Schram farm, where they helped plant the vineyards and dig what would be Napa’s first underground wine caves.

By the time Stevenson visited in 1880, the winery had 50 acres of vines and was producing roughly 8000 cases of wine per year. When Schram passed away and his son took over the family business in 1905, the winery was producing more than 25,000 cases of wine.

And then…. the first World War and Prohibition finished off what was left of the Napa wine industry after the Phylloxera epidemic just a few years earlier. The winery was sold to an investment firm, and Schramsberg wines were no longer sold.

Over the next few decades, the winery changed hands several times. Some of the owners started producing wine again, and in 1951, the then current owner, Douglas Pringle revived the Schramsberg label, and began producing wines, including sparkling wine. In 1957, the property was designated a state Historical Monument, and in 1965, Jack and Jamie Davies — he a successful executive, she an art gallery owner — purchased the property with a grand dream: to make world class sparkling wine in California.

And for more fifty years, the Davies’ family pursued that odyssey with remarkable success. Schramsberg Vineyards became an icon not only of the Napa Valley, but of California and the nation. From the first use of Chardonnay for sparkling wine in the U.S., to one of the earliest uses of the traditional Methode Champenoise for making sparkling wine, Schramsberg was an early pioneer of American sparkling wine.

Today, after the passing of both his parents, the Davies’ son Hugh continues their legacy and presides over the production of some of the finest sparkling wine made in America.

The winemaking for the estate’s roughly 60,000 case production begins with grapes from the estate’s original acreage, as well as many contract vineyard sources for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay around Sonoma and Napa counties. Whether owned by the Davies family or farmed on contract, all of the grapes are carefully farmed and picked by hand. The winemaking, overseen by Davies and senior winemaker Sean Thompson, involves a portion of the grapes (depending on the wine) fermented in barrel. Portions of the wine are also aged for extended time in the barrel, and these aged wines are then used as blending components in several of the winery’s bottlings.

As with Champagne, the wines undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle deep in the cool, humid caves that were dug by Chinese laborers more than 150 years ago. As the bubbles are forming during this second ferment, the bottles are “riddled” or turned to allow the yeast to accumulate in the neck before it is disgorged and the bottle topped up, corked and sealed for sale. From 1974 to 2001, the riddling was done by one man, master riddler Ramon Viera.

There are very few sparkling wines in America that can begin to equal the quality and complexity of Champagne, but Schramsberg is unquestionably among those few. With a few years of age on it, their top bottlings can hold their own among many tete-de-cuvees from France. While I enjoy their commercial bottlings, I have perhaps been most impressed with some small bits of very late-disgorged wines that the winery often makes available at the annual Premier Napa Valley auction for the trade. These wines, which have 10 or more years of aging on their lees, are truly world-class and among some of the best wines I’ve tasted from Napa Valley.

2015 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Davies’ odyssey to produce world-class sparkling wine in a state where a surprisingly small amount of the stuff gets made, at least considering the size of the overall California wine industry. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Esther Mobly took up the question of why there isn’t more sparkling wine made in California in a recent column.

The answer Mobly arrived at was a combination of extremely high costs, hard to get knowledge, and the fear that there might not be a market for what will invariably be expensive bottles of wine.

That equation was doubly in force when the Davies family began their work on the side of Diamond Mountain. Their persistence and success across 5 decades is an achievement worth celebrating in the annals of American wine.

And what better way to celebrate than to open a bunch of old vintages? I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to do so with a small group of writers, sommeliers, and friends of Schramsberg earlier this year. Here are my notes on the wines we tasted.

1965 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram” Chardonnay, Napa, California
Light amber in the glass with almost no visible bubbles, this wine smells of marzipan and nut skin. In the mouth, the wine has no perceptible bubbles, and delivers wonderfully sherry-like flavors of marzipan, parchment, citrus oil, and dry dusty stones touched with a piney note that is very interesting. 13.4% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

1974 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram” Chardonnay, Napa, California
Medium brownish-gold in the glass with medium bubbles that are fading quickly, this wine smells of smoky dried honey and parchment. In the mouth, parchment and lanolin mix with wet stones and a hint of dried apples and mustiness. A tart citrus pith sourness lingers in the finish. 13.6% alcohol. Score: between 8 and 8.5.

1977 Schramsberg Vineyards Champagne Blend, Napa, California
Medium gold in the glass with very faint bubbles, this wine smells of dried apples and roasted nuts. In the mouth the wine still has remarkably vibrant mousse and persistent bubbles on which float flavors of marzipan, toasted bread, dried lemon peel, and roasted apples. Very appealing in its age, with notes of parchment lingering in the finish. 12.9% alcohol. Score: around 9.

1982 Schramsberg Vineyards “Blanc de Blancs” Chardonnay, Napa, California
Medium gold in the glass with very fine bubbles, this wine smells of marzipan with a hint of acetone. In the mouth the wine is quite silky, with a mousse that is fading. The flavors are marzipan, butterscotch, and vanilla with a nice mineral undertone that shows through despite softer acidity. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

1982 Schramsberg Vineyards Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Medium gold in the glass with very faint, extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of marzipan and a hint of acetone. In the mouth, the wine has a rich, buttery quality and a soft silky mousse that is fading quickly. Buttered brioche lingers for a long time in the finish. Still remarkably pleasurable 12.4% alcohol. Score: around 9.

1986 Schramsberg Vineyards Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Medium gold in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of toasted buttered bread and dried citrus peels. In the mouth, buttered toast, seawater, and roasted nuts mix with gorgeously bright apple fruit that is remarkably fresh for its age. Wonderfully silky mousse and stunning balance make this an incredible mouthful. Citrus pith lingering for a long time in the finish. 12.8% alcohol. Score: around 9.5.

1987 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Medium gold in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of marzipan and dried apples. In the mouth, baked apple, marzipan and candied lemon peel mix with a nice wet chalkboard minerality. Bright acidity keeps the wine tasting very fresh even with the drier fruit. Gorgeous brioche and buttered sourdough quality comes through in the finish. Quite compelling. Score: around 9.

1990 Schramsberg Vineyards “Blanc de Noirs – Late Disgorged” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Medium gold in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of butterscotch and marzipan. In the mouth, marzipan and treacle flavors mix with wet chalkboard and a nice dried citrus peel quality that is quite nice. The mousse is fading here. Still, rich and lovely with a very long finish. A blend of 84% Pinot Noir, 9% Pinot Meunier, 6% Chardonnay, and 1% Pinot Blanc. Disgorgement date unknown to me. 12.8% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

1993 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Medium gold in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of wet stones and dried lemon peel. In the mouth wonderfully fresh flavors of lemon curd and wet stones mix with parchment and a dusty quality borne on a very silky mousse. Excellent citrus pith notes linger with a deep minerality and salinity in the finish. 12.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

1994 Schramsberg Vineyards “Brut Reserve” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light to medium gold in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of wet stones, citrus pith, and a hint of marzipan and brioche. In the mouth, pink grapefruit, buttered brioche and marzipan mix with a wet stone and a faint dustiness, all floated on a soft, very fine mousse. The long, wet chalkboard finish is tinged with lemon pith. 12.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

1997 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram – Late Disgorged” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light to medium gold in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of crushed nuts and dried apples. In the mouth a delicate mousse that is beginning to fade delivers flavors of dried apples, marzipan, and butterscotch. A nice wet chalkboard minerality shows through the wine, but there is a slightly oxidized quality to the wine that lingers with a sherry note in the finish. A blend of 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir. Disgorged in March 2012. 12.6% alcohol. Score: around 9.

1997 Schramsberg Vineyards “Cremant Demi Sec” Champagne Blend, Napa Valley, Napa, California
Light amber in color with very fine bubbles, this wine smells of brioche and candied orange peel. In the mouth the wine has a wonderful combination of brioche candied orange peel, honeysuckle, and marzipan. Score: around 8.5.

1998 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram Rosé” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light salmon-pink in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of toasted brioche and citrus peel. In the mouth, gorgeously rich brioche and wet stones mix with citrus and berries. Fantastic balance, great acidity and very long finish. Soft and voluminous mousse despite this wine’s age. A blend of 76% Chardonnay, 24% Pinot Noir. 12.7% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $103. click to buy.

1999 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram – Late Disgorged” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light to medium gold in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of parchment and crushed hazelnuts. In the mouth, a silky mousse delivers flavors of marzipan and vanilla mixed with seawater and lemon curd. The acidity in this wine is softer and not as bright, so it is not as mouthwatering as it could be, but the flavors are gorgeous. 12.6% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

1999 Schramsberg Vineyards “Brut Reserve” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light to medium gold in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of marzipan and crushed honey-roasted nuts. In the mouth fantastically rich butter cracker, candied lemon peel, marzipan and seawater flavors float on a silky mousse that persists for a wonderfully long time in the mouth, Great balance and finish. Mouthwatering. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $90. click to buy.

2000 Schramsberg Vineyards “Brut Reserve – Late Disgorged” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light gold in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of wet chalkboard and citrus pith mixed with a hint of red apple skin. In the mouth, red apple skin mixes with redcurrant and pink grapefruit flavors against a very dry backdrop of wet chalkboard, all borne on a cloud-like mousse. Wonderfully mineral and bright. A blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. Disgorged in September, 2014. 12.9% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $175. click to buy.

2001 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light gold in the glass with extremely fine bubbles, this wine smells of lanolin and toasted brioche. In the mouth, the wine has a fantastic warm brioche and seawater brightness mixed with crushed nuts. Gorgeously bright citrus notes layer on top of these yeasty flavors borne on the back of a beautifully soft mousse. Stunning. A blend of 77% Chardonnay and 23% Pinot Noir. 12.6% alcohol. Score: around 9.5. Cost: $100.

2001 Schramsberg Vineyards “Brut Reserve” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light gold in the glass with very fine bubbles, this wine smells of lemon curd, marzipan, and white flowers. In the mouth, gorgeously bright lemony acidity lifts flavors of marzipan, butter cracker, and a bit of pink grapefruit. Wonderfully tart grapefruit pith lingers for a long finish. Plush mousse. A blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. 12.4% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $100. click to buy.

2003 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light gold in the glass with very fine bubbles, this wine smells of wet stones and crisp apples, with a hint of white flowers layered in over the top. In the mouth, a smooth mousse delivers flavors of apple and lemon mixed with a wet stone minerality that contrasts nicely with a brioche-like richness. A nice saline quality lingers in the finish. Fantastic acidity. Excellent. A blend of 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir. 12.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $70. click to buy.

2004 Schramsberg Vineyards “Brut Reserve” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light gold in the glass with very fine bubbles, this wine smells of marzipan and buttered brioche. In the mouth, faintly sweet apple and lemon flavors mix with a touch of caramel and seawater in a soft mousse. Notes of vanilla linger in the finish. A blend of 84% Pinot Noir and 16% Chardonnay. 12.5% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $100. click to buy.

2007 Schramsberg Vineyards “Reserve” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light gold in color with very fine bubbles, this wine smells of sea air and buttered warm brioche. In the mouth, rich marzipan and butter cracker toastiness mix with a bright seawater saltiness that makes the soft mousse feel like sea foam in the mouth. Despite the salinity, there’s also a bit of sweet Asian pear that still sings a high note through the finish. Excellent. A blend of 76% Pinot Noir and 24% Chardonnay. 13.2% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $110. click to buy.

2007 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Light gold in the glass with very fine bubbles, this wine smells of wet chalkboard, kelp, and buttered sourdough toast. In the mouth, a wonderfully soft mousse delivers lemon and pink grapefruit flavors in a riotous bouncy medley of flavors with notes of wet stone and white flowers behind them. A blend of 84% Chardonnay and 16% Pinot Noir. 12.8% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $120. click to buy.

2007 Schramsberg Vineyards “J. Schram Rosé” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Pale coppery-pink in color with very fine bubbles, this wine smells of citrus zest, wet leaves, and carob. In the mouth, a savory blend of dried berries, wet leaves, citrus peel and seawater are afloat on a velvety raft of mousse. Silky and quite sexy, this is a complex mouthful. A blend of 71% Chardonnay and 29% Pinot Noir. 13% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $150. click to buy.

2011 Schramsberg Vineyards “Cremant Demi Sec” Champagne Blend, Napa Valley, Napa, California
Pale gold in the glass with moderately fine bubbles, this wine smells of white flowers and white peaches. In the mouth, flavors of white peach, white flowers, and honeysuckle mix with a moderate sweetness and light mousse. Simple and straightforward. 13.4% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $33. click to buy.

2011 Schramsberg Vineyards “Blanc de Noirs Brut” Pinot Noir, North Coast, California
Light gold in the glass with medium-fine bubbles, this wine smells of white flowers and Asian pear. In the mouth, a soft mousse delivers flavors of pear, white flowers, and exotic citrus in a faintly sweet, mouthwatering mélange on the palate. Quite balanced and delicious. 11.8% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $30. click to buy.

2012 Schramsberg Vineyards “Blanc de Blancs Brut” Chardonnay, North Coast, California
Pale gold in the glass with medium-fine bubbles, this wine smells of white flowers, lemon pith, and wet chalkboard. In the mouth, a very delicate mousse delivers airy, very floral notes of lemon pith and wet chalkboard. Delicate and refined, but not quite as persistent as the Blanc de Noirs. 12.8% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $30. click to buy.

2012 Schramsberg Vineyards “Brut Rosé” Champagne Blend, North Coast, California
Pale baby pink in the glass with very fine bubbles, this wine smells of watermelon rind and citrus zest. In the mouth, a coarse mousse delivers flavors of grapefruit, watermelon rind, and a hint of raspberry. Excellent acidity and juiciness. A blend of 77% Pinot Noir and 23% Chardonnay. 13% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $38. click to buy.

NV Schramsberg Vineyards “Mirabelle Brut” Champagne Blend, California
Light gold in the glass with medium bubbles, this wine smells of sweet baked apples and toasty oak. In the mouth, a coarse mousse delivers flavors of apple, lemon, marzipan and oak with juicy acidity and a faint hint of sweetness. 12.6% alcohol. Score: between 8 and 8.5. Cost: $20. click to buy.

NV Schramsberg Vineyards “Mirabelle Brut Rosé” Champagne Blend, California
Light salmon-pink in color with medium bubbles, this wine smells of marmalade and sweet berries. In the mouth, slightly sweet flavors of berry and citrus zest are a bit simple, but do have a nice toasty edge to them. Good acidity and a faint sweetness make the wine quite easy to drink. 12.8% alcohol. Score: around 8. Cost: $22. click to buy.

In addition to sparkling wine, Schramsberg also produces a number of still wines under the J. Davies Estate and Davies Vineyards labels.

2001 J. Davies Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District, Napa, California
Very dark ruby in the glass, this wine smells cherry, sandalwood with notes of cedar and dusty road. Juicy and bright. Brown sugar and dusty road on the finish. First vintage of this wine. 500 cases made. 14.5% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2012 J. Davies Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District, Napa, California
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of bright cherry and tobacco. In the mouth cherry and tobacco mix beautifully, with bright cassis and a hint of chocolate lingering in the finish with just a hint of alcoholic heat. 14.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $100. click to buy.

2009 Davies Vineyards “Ferrington Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California
Medium garnet in color, this wine smells of cherry and cedar and raspberry fruit. In the mouth raspberry and cedar and brown sugar, with notes of dried herbs. This wine has a hint of dried herbs and heat on the finish. 14.1% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2013 Davies Vineyards “Ferrington Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cherry and raspberry fruit. In the mouth, the wine has bright and pure raspberry and cherry, with a bright acidity and good length. Nice pure finish with a hint of sweetness. 14.3% alcohol Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $55. click to buy.

2013 Davies Vineyards Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California
Light garnet in the glass, this wine smells of wet earth and raspberries. In the mouth, wonderfully bright flavors of candied raspberries and cherry cordial mix with a darker cedar and earthy quality. Notes of brown sugar, slightly sweet, linger in the finish. Good acidity. 14.1% alcohol. Score: around 8.5.

2013 Davies Vineyards “Nobles Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma, California
Medium garnet in color, this wine smells of bright cherry and raspberry fruit. In the mouth, flavors of candied raspberry and cherry pie mix with a note of brown sugar and forest floor. The finish is long, sweet, and a touch hot with a signature of alcohol. 14.5% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $52. click to buy.