Sutter Home Winery
Encyclopedia
Sutter Home Winery is one of the largest, independent family-run wineries
in the United States
, and the estate known for the creation of White Zinfandel
. It is located in St. Helena, California
. It is owned by Trinchero Family Estates, which also sells wine under twenty other labels including Newman's Own
and Folie à Deux.
in central Napa Valley. After his death, the winery and Victorian home beside it were sold to another Swiss family, the Leunbergers who renamed the estate Sutter Home.
As with most Napa Valley wineries, Sutter Home was shut down during Prohibition
. The winery remained abandoned until 1948, when it was purchased by John and Mario Trinchero, immigrant brothers from New York City
whose family had been active in the Italian wine business. The Trincheros refurbished the winery and began producing Napa Valley wines, initially scraping by making generic jug wine
s. For years they operated “mom-and-pop” style, selling to their Napa Valley neighbors who filled their barrels and bottles at the winery’s back door.
A turning point occurred in 1968, when Louis “Bob” Trinchero (Mario's oldest son) sampled a homemade Zinfandel
made from grapes grown in the Sierra foothills, California’s famed Gold Rush country. Impressed by the character and intensity of this robust, spicy red wine, Bob began vinifying Amador County Zinfandel.
. Initially labeled as an Oeil de Perdrix
, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms demanded something in English on the label, and the name, "A White Zinfandel Wine" was added. By 1975 the name Oeil de Perdrix was removed. A fortunate accident occurred during the making of the 1975 vintage, as some 1,000 gallons of bleed-off juice from red Zinfandel refused to ferment to dryness, retaining a substantial amount of sugar, and Trinchero put the wine aside for the time. He said, "Two weeks later, I tasted that wine and it was sweet, had a pink color, and I thought, 'Darn, that's pretty good. We bottled it, and the rest is history."
By 1987, Sutter Home White Zinfandel had become the best-selling premium wine in the United States. In 1994, Wine Spectator
, gave Trinchero its Distinguished Service Award for "having introduced more Americans to wine on the table than anyone in history".
This prompted the Trincheros to increase its production while refining the wine’s style to accentuate the fruitiness his customers found so appealing. White Zinfandel made Sutter Home a household name and one of the largest, independent family-run winery in the U.S.
Today, Sutter Home is the sixth-largest winery in the United States. All winemaking, bottling, shipping and warehousing operations are concentrated in three modern facilities in Napa County. The original winery site on Highway 29 houses the winery’s Visitors Center.
Sutter Home Winery produces 12 varietal
wines including Chardonnay
, Sauvignon Blanc
, White Zinfandel
, White Merlot, Gewurztraminer
, Chenin Blanc
, Moscato
, Merlot
, Cabernet Sauvignon
, Zinfandel
, Red
, White Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio.
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
in the United States
American wine
American wine has been produced for over 300 years. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 89 percent of all US wine...
, and the estate known for the creation of White Zinfandel
White Zinfandel
White Zinfandel, often abbreviated as White Zin, is an off-dry to sweet, pink-colored blush wine. White Zinfandel is made from the Zinfandel wine grape, which would otherwise produce a bold and spicy red wine. As such, it is not a grape variety but a method of processing Zinfandel grapes...
. It is located in St. Helena, California
St. Helena, California
St. Helena is a city in Napa County, California, United States. It is part of the northern San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 5,814 at the 2010 census....
. It is owned by Trinchero Family Estates, which also sells wine under twenty other labels including Newman's Own
Newman's Own
Newman's Own is a food company and for-profit corporation founded by actor Paul Newman and author A. E. Hotchner in 1982. Newman received all of the profits from product sales and donated 100% of the proceeds, after taxes, to various educational and charitable organizations of his own selection...
and Folie à Deux.
History
The history of the winery dates back to 1874, when the Swiss-German immigrant John Thomann established a small winery and distillery in St. HelenaSt. Helena, California
St. Helena is a city in Napa County, California, United States. It is part of the northern San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 5,814 at the 2010 census....
in central Napa Valley. After his death, the winery and Victorian home beside it were sold to another Swiss family, the Leunbergers who renamed the estate Sutter Home.
As with most Napa Valley wineries, Sutter Home was shut down during Prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
. The winery remained abandoned until 1948, when it was purchased by John and Mario Trinchero, immigrant brothers from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
whose family had been active in the Italian wine business. The Trincheros refurbished the winery and began producing Napa Valley wines, initially scraping by making generic jug wine
Jug wine
Jug wine is a term in the United States for inexpensive table wine typically bottled in a glass jug.Historically, jug wines were labeled semi-generically, often sold to third parties to be relabeled, or sold directly from the winery's tasting room to customers who would often bring their own bottles...
s. For years they operated “mom-and-pop” style, selling to their Napa Valley neighbors who filled their barrels and bottles at the winery’s back door.
A turning point occurred in 1968, when Louis “Bob” Trinchero (Mario's oldest son) sampled a homemade Zinfandel
Zinfandel
Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia , where it was introduced in the 18th century...
made from grapes grown in the Sierra foothills, California’s famed Gold Rush country. Impressed by the character and intensity of this robust, spicy red wine, Bob began vinifying Amador County Zinfandel.
White Zinfandel
In 1972, another of Bob Trinchero’s innovations provided the American wine consumer with a new style of premium wine known as White ZinfandelWhite Zinfandel
White Zinfandel, often abbreviated as White Zin, is an off-dry to sweet, pink-colored blush wine. White Zinfandel is made from the Zinfandel wine grape, which would otherwise produce a bold and spicy red wine. As such, it is not a grape variety but a method of processing Zinfandel grapes...
. Initially labeled as an Oeil de Perdrix
Oeil de Perdrix
Oeil de Perdrix is a rosé wine produced in Switzerland. The history of the wine style dates back to the Middle Ages in the Champagne region of France and from there spread to the Canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland where it would become a popular dry rosé made from Pinot noir...
, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms demanded something in English on the label, and the name, "A White Zinfandel Wine" was added. By 1975 the name Oeil de Perdrix was removed. A fortunate accident occurred during the making of the 1975 vintage, as some 1,000 gallons of bleed-off juice from red Zinfandel refused to ferment to dryness, retaining a substantial amount of sugar, and Trinchero put the wine aside for the time. He said, "Two weeks later, I tasted that wine and it was sweet, had a pink color, and I thought, 'Darn, that's pretty good. We bottled it, and the rest is history."
By 1987, Sutter Home White Zinfandel had become the best-selling premium wine in the United States. In 1994, Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertainment pieces...
, gave Trinchero its Distinguished Service Award for "having introduced more Americans to wine on the table than anyone in history".
This prompted the Trincheros to increase its production while refining the wine’s style to accentuate the fruitiness his customers found so appealing. White Zinfandel made Sutter Home a household name and one of the largest, independent family-run winery in the U.S.
Present
Still family-run, Bob and Roger Trinchero and Vera Trinchero Torres, along with Vera’s sons, Anthony and Robert Torres, manage a large winemaking organization, overseeing operations from grapegrowing and production, marketing and sales. The Trincheros are noted for their industry leadership, commitment to sustainable agriculture and preserving the environment.Today, Sutter Home is the sixth-largest winery in the United States. All winemaking, bottling, shipping and warehousing operations are concentrated in three modern facilities in Napa County. The original winery site on Highway 29 houses the winery’s Visitors Center.
Production
White Zinfandel production was increased from 25,000 cases in 1981 to 1.3 million in 1986, while currently producing about 10 million cases a year, with Sutter Home White Zinfandel making up 45 percent of the sales.Sutter Home Winery produces 12 varietal
Varietal
"Varietal" describes wines made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label. Examples of grape varieties commonly used in varietal wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot...
wines including Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
, White Zinfandel
White Zinfandel
White Zinfandel, often abbreviated as White Zin, is an off-dry to sweet, pink-colored blush wine. White Zinfandel is made from the Zinfandel wine grape, which would otherwise produce a bold and spicy red wine. As such, it is not a grape variety but a method of processing Zinfandel grapes...
, White Merlot, Gewurztraminer
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written '...
, Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc
Chenin blanc , is a white wine grape variety from the Loire valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines, although it can produce very bland, neutral wines if the vine's natural vigor is not controlled...
, Moscato
Moscato
Moscato can have several meanings see:*Muscat *Judah Moscato *Vincent Moscato...
, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Zinfandel
Zinfandel
Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia , where it was introduced in the 18th century...
, Red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
, White Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio.