Joseph Swan Winery

One would think that Joe Swan was not destined to become is an acclaimed winemaker. Growing up in North Dakota, far away from the vineyards of California, Joe was always a curious and avid reader of all things. As a young man, he first pursued a life of artistry, working on a few paid jobs, including a famous mural painted during the depression. But his life as an artist was short-lived and he decided to pursued another of his passions, one that was as exciting as financially viable: aviation.

During WWII, he taught flying to the Army Air Corps and then took a job as a pilot for Western Airline, a career path that he would follow until his retirement in 1974. Always interested about art and wine, his profession took him across the globe, where he regularly visited the most highly regarded wine and food regions. From his travels, he kept on learning about viticulture and winemaking, which he later took to Joseph Swan winery. In fact, he started making small batches of wine while living in Salt Lake City, using Zinfandel grapes he purchased, and later bought a small vineyard while living in Southern California. His real dream, however, was to establish a proper wine estate, not a large Napa Valley estate, but instead a small, manageable one-man winery, when he could tend to each vine and get the absolute best from his plots.

In 1967, Joe purchased a small farm near the town of Forestville, in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. The property consisted of 5 hectare of old Zinfandel vines, alongside fruit trees and pasture. Along with an old barn and a nearly centennial house, the property came with an interesting history: it once housed the post office of Trenton along with the general store and telephone exchange. Upon acquiring the estate, Joe made his first vintage in 1968 using the little Zinfandel fruit his old vines produced. Soon after, his dear friend, mentor and Napa valley icon, André Tchelistcheff, convinced him to replant with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, two varietals that thrived in their cool climate. Over the years, Joe Swan kept France as his main model, focusing on low yields and implementing specific methods of pruning, bud rubbing and leaf stripping, to produce the highest quality of grapes.

In 1974, with the help of some local friends, Joe built his cellar, also know as the Tin Shed, for its rudimentary structure and appearance. With his vines and cellar in place, Joe was successful in making the wines he had long dreamt of, which became known and respected throughout the world. Joseph passed away in 1989, but his legacy continues with his daughter Lynn, and partner Rod Berglund. Rod, Joseph Swan’s son-in-law, took on the duty of winemaker and has continued Joe’s vow to never become complacent and to stay curious with the wines.

“It largely due to Joe’s encouragement that I became a winemaker in 1979. In 1986, when Lynn and I were married, Joe became my father-in-law. In 1987, I had the opportunity to give Joe a hand and help finish the 1987 harvest. Joe’s last vintage was 1987. He was quite ill in the latter part of 1988 and passed away in January of 1989. Although he is gone, his legacy lives on.” – Rod Berglund

Lynn and Rod have been successfully producing powerful and complex wines at Swan Winery for almost 30 years. They work tirelessly to continue evolving and creating outstanding wines at the estate, following Joe’s dream.