Gundlach Bundschu Winery gears up for 150th anniversary

Gundlach Bundschu, the oldest family-owned winery in California, has its sights set on its Sesquicentennial Anniversary celebration, with plans to bring wine history and theater together in 2008. The winery and The Marsh Theater Company in San Francisco are collaborating to create a play that will depict the family history, which has been richly entwined in Sonoma and the wine industry since 1858.
“In keeping with our family’s long-standing appreciation of writing and performance, it made sense that this should be a part of our anniversary,” said Jeff Bundschu, CEO and general manager of Gundlach Bundschu. “The plan is to have this intimate production tour various cities throughout the country in spring and summer and then conclude its run with a performance here at the outdoor stage at Rhinefarm in September.”
The winery definitely has an interesting story to tell. It starts with Jacob Gundlach, Bundschu’s great grandfather’s grandfather, who left his native Bavaria for California in 1850 to make his fortune during the Gold Rush. By 1857 Gundlach already owned a successful brewery in San Francisco, but wanted to follow in his father’s winemaking footsteps. He purchased 400 acres that he named Rhinefarm, and was among the first to plant European grapevines here.
Charles Bundschu joined Gundlach & Company in 1868 and then became part of the family in 1875 by marrying Gundlach’s daughter. The winery prospered for the next three decades and, after Gundlach’s death in 1894, was renamed Gundlach Bundschu. Family members participated in the business and developed community activities by starting the first Vintage Festival in Sonoma in 1897 and establishing The Bacchus Club, a social wine and literary group.
Tragedy struck when the company offices, wine vaults and many of the family homes were destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. However, even under devastating conditions, the Bundschu family continued to maintain a small production of wine from the Rhinefarm property until 1920, when Prohibition closed its doors.
After Prohibition, the demand for wine rose again and the Bundschu family began to grow and sell their grapes using the name Vineburg Wine Company. In the mid-1960s, Jim Bundschu convinced his father, Towle Bundschu, that they should restore and revitalize the winery. In 1969 he began a four-year project of replanting the entire Rhinefarm Vineyard, with the help of his father, sister and brothers-in-law. By 1973 Gundlach Bundschu Winery was again fully operating and in the years to follow production reached 80,000 to 90,000 cases annually.
The Bundschu family continued to enhance Rhinefarm Estate and added barrel caves to the property in 1991. Jim’s son, Jeff Bundschu, the sixth generation, became involved in the mid 1990s, and soon after the family acquired 104 acres of adjoining land to combine with the existing vineyard. Jeff Bundschu has overseen vineyard operations since 2000.
Both father and son are very enthusiastic about the future of the winery, and their focus is on making high-quality wine. “Our goal is to produce the best estate-grown wine in California,” Jim Bundschu told me when we talked. “It’s a large time investment to be totally estate grown and managed – five to ten years – but the quality of grapes when you are managing your own vineyard is well worth it.”
While many wineries are increasing their production, Gundlach Bundschu has decreased theirs from 80,000-plus cases to 30,000 to 40,000 cases per year. They are concentrating on four specific wines: gewürztraminer, pinot noir, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, all of which seem to perfectly suit the estate’s elevation, soil and microclimates. “We are in a great location to be growing Bordeaux varietals and, although we have been making gewürztraminer since the 1970s, it has become increasingly popular over the last couple years, to the point that we are one of the leading sellers of it in the country.”
The family is also environmentally conscious and currently has at least 40 organic acres planted. “We are very aware of global warming and are fortunate that, because of our location, the temperature increase will have really no effect on our vines.” He added, “from a family standpoint we can realistically look ahead approximately 30 years, but it’s important to all of us that we are building something for the seventh generation.”
Jeff Bundschu has two main goals: to continue to showcase the estate’s capability to produce world-class wines and to not rest on the laurels of the past. “We are extremely proud of our past, but you can’t live by looking in the rear view mirror. The wines we are producing now need to come first, and then the amazing story that got us here.”
Bundschu believes this is not a business where one can be complacent. “This is a trendy industry, and just because you’ve been around a long time is no guarantee for maintaining success. You have to continue to be in the forefront and a part of what’s currently going on.”
In addition to the touring historical play, the winery has a unique guerilla grassroots ad campaign that will debut the first part of the year. It also sounds as if there might be an anniversary event or two at the winery in the works, according to the senior Bundschu. “We’re way too social of a family to let an opportunity like this go by and not use it to celebrate.“