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Meet Michel-Schlumberger

Michel-Schlumberger’s first vines were planted in 1979 by Jean-Jacques Michel, who was a native of Switzerland. Michel traveled far and wide across Northern California searching for the perfect place to establish his winery.

He immediately recognized the potential of the Dry Creek Valley climate and soils to produce premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Chardonnay grapes, and the contoured exposures of Wine Creek Canyon, in particular, to create very unique flavors, especially in red wines. In 1991, Jacques Pierre Schlumberger joined the winery team, bringing with him a more than 400-year family legacy of winemaking in Alsace, France.

The Michel-Schlumberger brand was born, and over the years, the reputation of the wines and the beauty of the Estate garnered attention from around the world.

Sustainably-farmed, small-batch wines

At Michel-Schlumberger, our winemaking philosophy is to craft elegant wines with a real sense of place – beautifully balanced and expressive of our dramatic vineyard landscape.

As almost 100% estate produced wine, each bottle speaks to the distinct soil, climate, and topography of our sustainably-farmed property, on the hillsides west of Dry Creek Valley. Nature is the dominant force in our terroir-driven winemaking approach. Sun-drenched days, moderated by cool coastal fog combine with volcanic gravelly soils and dramatic topography. The result is an ideal backdrop for creating balanced fruit, and full-flavored, complex wines. As winemakers and stewards of the land, we guide the process from vine to bottle by promoting healthy vineyards, walking every row, and sampling every barrel.

Each fall, grapes are hand-harvested in small batches during the cool early morning hours, then gently crushed and de-stemmed at the winery. We employ classic winemaking techniques for all of our estate wines, including sur lie aging prior to racking to enhance complexity and depth, and barrel aging in French oak for overall balance in the final blend.