History
Jean-Jacques Michel planted the first vines in 1979 in what is now known as Michel-Schlumberger Benchland Estate. Jean-Jacques, a native of Switzerland, traveled extensively 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. He believed the contoured exposures of Wine Creek Canyon would create unique flavors, especially in red wines.
Dry Creek Valley is acclaimed for a reason. It provides the perfect climate for growing balanced, evenly ripened fruit. Our hillside vineyards on our estate experience varying degrees of fog, wind, and sun exposure during the growing season. The geographic and climatic diversity of our estate results in age-worthy wines of great complexity and structure from elegant, balanced reds to delicate, vibrant whites. Our estate terrain, combined with this ideal climate, allows us to consistently offer a diverse portfolio of 100% estate produced wines.
In 1991, Jacques Schlumberger joined the winery team, bringing with him more than 400 years of a family legacy of winemaking in Alsace, France, at Domaine Viticoles Schlumberger. 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. In 2011, Jacques Schlumberger retired, and the estate evolved again, with a new ownership and management team committed to taking the wines and the winery to even greater heights.