Camp Schramsberg: A Seasonal Approach

Spring Blending March 9-11, 2008: click here to register
Harvest Camp September 7-9, 2008: click here to register

For a more detailed 2008 schedule, click here.
For a sampling of 2006 camper reviews, click here.

Camp Schramsberg Photo Gallery

We have set the new 2008 dates for our popular Camp Schramsberg. Please click on a link above for more details.

What can be better than to taste wonderful sparkling wines after you pick grapes in the gorgeous Napa Valley and learn hands-on all the steps of making these magical wines? How about also being able to come to Schramsberg in the beginning of spring and to see, feel and taste how the whole sparkling wine cycle beginning in the vineyards and ending in the winery? Now you will be able to experience a behind the scenes look at the making of sparkling wines at Camp Schramsberg, while having fun with fellow campers from across the country and enjoying lots of bubbly with amazing foods.

Due to the tremendous success of our harvest camps for the past nine years, we are proud to announce that we will add a Spring Blending Camp in 2007 to further enhance the first hand understanding of how sparkling wines are made—from the vineyards to the finished bottle. Campers can attend the harvest session in 2006 and/or the new spring session in 2007 and participate fully in a seasonal sparkling wine experience—there is no other program like this anywhere else in the world!

Spring Blending Camp March 9-11, 2008

For the first time ever, come to Camp Schramsberg in the spring in the beginning of the harvest cycle. As you tour the vineyards, you will learn how to prune and witness the budding of the vines. You will learn why this process is so important to how the grapes end up ripening for the harvest. You will also take part in the art of sparkling wine blending (assemblage) and taste some of the more than 100 base wines made from the previous harvest that are carefully blended to make the various cuvees of the award-winning Schramsberg sparkling wines.  You will taste and evaluate the impact of triage time and participate in dosage trials.  There will also be tours of the Schramsberg winemaking facilities and lots of bubbly tasting, hosted by our own Hugh Davies, president and head winemaker. For matching food and sparkling wine, there will be sessions at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone with an emphasis on international flavors and cuisines. All of this will kick off with a special dinner in our historic caves and barn prepared by noted chef instructor Holly Peterson and end with a terrific multi-course international luncheon cooked especially for us by the CIA chefs. As an added treat, you will learn how to saber open a sparkling wine bottle, a feat Napoleon would perform to celebrate battle victories.

This camp is geared for both consumers and professionals. You can attend this camp as an introduction to sparkling wine or to fine tune your knowledge and palate. This session will also benefit campers who have previously attended the fall harvest session.

Camp Schramsberg is the ultimate experience for wine and sparkling wine lovers! Scholarships are available for people in the wine, restaurant and hospitality industries. For more information, please call 800-877-3623 or send an email message to info1@schramsberg.com.

Harvest Camp September 7-9

For 2008, we have planned one session of harvest camp from Sunday, September 7 – Tuesday, September 9. It will kick-off with a beautiful and delicious sunset dinner in our J. Davies vineyards overlooking the magnificent Napa Valley, prepared by our chef instructor Holly Peterson. Here campers will mingle and taste a wonderful sampling of Schramsberg sparkling wine and food combinations. The next morning starts early with picking grapes in the vineyards and finishes with campers creating the dosage for their own custom bottles to take home. In between, there will be sessions personally hosted by Hugh Davies, president and chief winemaker of Schramsberg, with tastings of freshly pressed grape juices, base wines, riddling lessons, tours of the historic caves and of course, lots of Schramsberg bubbly to enjoy.

There will also be interactive time spent studying the ever-growing science of food and wine pairings at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone with Holly Peterson. This will include the study of how foods blend or contrast with sparkling wines. Then there will be a memorable multi-course luncheon with Schramsberg wines paired with a wide variety of dishes prepared by the CIA chefs. Campers will also work together in teams planning menus using the knowledge gained over the past two days. There will be prizes for the most creative menus. The camp experience closes with a small sparkling graduation on the beautiful CIA grounds. (Don’t tell anyone, but you will also learn how to open sparkling wine bottles with a saber).

Camp Schramsberg is perfect for both sparkling wine enthusiasts and wine or restaurant professionals. In fact, it is our goal to have a combination of both consumers and professionals to make it fascinating for both sectors. Our camp is a fun way to jump in and experience sparkling wine with all the senses in Wine Country, where it all happens.

Scholarships are available for people in the wine, restaurant and hospitality industries. For information, please call 800-877-3623 or send an email to info1@schramsberg.com