Planted in 1978 and now farmed organically under no‑till, dry‑farmed, sheep‑grazed practices, this historic Willamette Valley estate tends some of the nation’s oldest self‑rooted white varieties. Native‑yeast, low‑intervention winemaking turns that deep heritage into focused, age‑worthy wines that speak purely of place.
Wine
Michel-Schlumberger
Michel-Schlumberger’s first vines were planted in 1979 by Jean-Jacques Michel, a native of Switzerland. Michel traveled extensively across Northern California in search of the perfect location to establish his winery. He quickly recognized the potential of the Dry Creek Valley climate and soils to produce premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Chardonnay grapes, and saw the contoured exposures of Wine Creek Canyon, in particular, as ideal for creating unique flavors, especially in red wines.
In 1991, Jacques Pierre Schlumberger joined the winery team, bringing with him a legacy of over 400 years of winemaking in Alsace, France.
It was at this point that the Michel-Schlumberger brand was born. Over the years, the winery’s exceptional wines and the beauty of its estate have garnered global attention and acclaim. The mission-style architecture of the estate reflects Michel-Schlumberger’s European roots while honoring the influence of early Spanish settlers in California. Today, the winery’s white stucco walls, terracotta-tiled roof, bell tower, and grand courtyard create a spectacular setting for a day in Sonoma’s wine country.
Our Estate heritage is also reflected in the guest experience, which includes motorized tours through the vineyards, walking cellar tours through the production area, barrel tastings, and seated reserve tastings of our award-winning, small-production wines
Benevolent Neglect
At Benevolent Neglect travel from Central to Northern California, coast to mountains, to find vineyards that express their own unique terroirs and make truly standout wines. Every site we work with has a quality to it seen nowhere else. From the limestone bedrock and magic of Enz to the carefully considering experimental plantings at Alder Springs, we ignore distance in search of perfection.
Whistler Vineyards
Whistler Vineyards is a family-owned winery focusing on vineyard-specific wines from the West Sonoma Coast. It all started with our estate vineyard, Whistler Vineyard, located in the north-western corner of the West Sonoma Coast just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. The vineyard is planted exclusively with Pinot Noir, Viognier, and Chardonnay at an ultra-high density of 2,450-4,000 vines per acre. The site’s deep, marine sedimentary soils along with the cooling ocean breezes allow us to dry-farm, producing small clusters with tiny berries that have great flavor intensity. Today, we own and operate four vineyards on the West Sonoma Coast that make up the majority of our portfolio. Our mission is to craft authentic wines with complexity and balance that showcase the elegance and unique character of the West Sonoma Coast.
Marchelle
Marchelle Wines is the collaboration between pioneering winemaker Greg La Follette—founding winemaker at Flowers Winery and a key figure in establishing the Sonoma Coast—and former Silicon Valley executive Kevin Lee. Named for their wives, Mara and Michelle, Marchelle honors family, heritage, and the expressive power of old vines. Together, Greg and Kevin craft cool climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and small-lot wines that revive forgotten varietals like Carignane, Colombard, and Cinsaut, with a focus on historic vineyards and a deep sense of place.
Uccelliera
Uccelliera is the name of an old homestead laid on the hillslope of Castelnuovo dell’ Abate overlooking the ancient volcano of Mount Amiata, 10 Km south-east of Montalcino. Some Middle Age documents report of the existence of this place, called Uccelliera (aviary), near S. Antimo Abbey and the alabaster quarries, attributing the origin of its name to the use of raptors for hunting purpose. The natural barrier offered by the height of Mount Amiata in the south-east side and of Poggio d’ Arna in the south-west, as well as the Orcia river and the marine breeze rising from its valley give this place a unique microclimate, particularly well-suited to viticulture since remote times.
Today, it consists of olive groves with some century old trees and 10 Ha of vineyards, almost entirely dedicated to Sangiovese, whose parcels are spread over the slope of Castelnuovo dell’ Abate from its highest (1150 ft asl) to its lowest elevation (492 ft asl) taking advantage of different microclimate conditions and soil types. Voliero, that also translates as aviary, is a later project started in 2006 to give expression to grapes grown under different conditions in the area of S. Angelo in Colle; roughly 3 Ha, 10 Km south of Montalcino at an elevation of approx. 1400 ft asl.
By means of Uccelliera and Voliero, vigneron Andrea Cortonesi treasures and represents the profound interaction among territory, grape-variety and passion through its wines and extra virgin olive oil. The agronomic practices follow the principles of a sustainable agriculture and are guided by nature, so that crops manifest the character of each diverse growing season. In the cellar, the vinification and refinement accompany the wines in their evolution in the pursuit of their greatest expression.