Joseph Swan Vineyards

Joseph Swan purchased a small farm on Laguna Road near Forestville in 1967, at a time when Russian River Valley was not yet recognized as a serious winegrowing district. The property came with old Zinfandel vines, planted in the 1880s, surrounding the farmhouse. Swan's first wine under his own label was the 1968 Estate Zinfandel, made from those old vines and labeled simply as Light Wine. At the urging of his friend and mentor André Tchelistcheff, Swan began replanting the property to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 1969; the early 1970s estate Pinot Noir releases placed him ahead of virtually every other California producer working with the grape. Swan earned a reputation for demonstrating that Pinot Noir could age gracefully in California, drawing on Burgundian techniques at a moment when extracted, alcoholic reds dominated the state. His insistence on balance and site expression was genuinely countercultural for the era.

• Farm purchased in 1967; first Swan-label wine was the 1968 Estate Zinfandel from old vines planted in the 1880s
• Replanted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay starting 1969 at the advice of André Tchelistcheff
• Early-1970s estate Pinot Noir releases established Swan as a modern pioneer for Russian River Pinot Noir
• Built reputation for proving Pinot Noir's aging potential through Burgundian-inspired winemaking

Rod Berglund, a lifelong Sonoma County resident, began his winemaking career in 1979 at La Crema Viñera, the predecessor to La Crema, where he made his first Russian River Valley Pinot Noir that same year. He married Joseph Swan's daughter Lynn in 1987 and joined Joe at harvest that fall to help finish the vintage. The following year, when Joe's health declined, Rod took over winemaking responsibilities. When Joe Swan died in 1989, Rod and Lynn Swan Berglund formally took over the winery, ensuring continuity of philosophy and family ownership into the second generation. Rod holds the title of President and Winemaker, and Lynn remains central to the winery's identity as Joe Swan's direct heir. June Swan, who co-founded the winery with Joe, retired from active involvement before her passing in January 2010. The operation remains a small, family-run winery with weekend tasting room hours.

• Rod Berglund began winemaking in 1979 at La Crema Viñera; made his first Russian River Pinot Noir that year
• Rod married Lynn Swan in 1987 and joined Joe at harvest the same year
• Rod took over winemaking in 1988 when Joe's health declined; Rod and Lynn formally took over the winery on Joe's death in 1989
• June Swan, Joe's wife and co-founder, retired before her passing in January 2010

The Trenton Estate Vineyard on Laguna Road spans 11 acres and anchors the winery's identity, with approximately 85 percent planted to Pinot Noir. The estate contains some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines in the Russian River Valley. Small amounts of original Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah also grow on the home property. Beyond the estate, the winery sources fruit from a curated network of vineyards including Saralee's Vineyard, Ritchie Vineyard, Trenton View Vineyard, Catie's Corner, DNA Vineyard, and Solas Vineyard. Estate fruit accounts for roughly 30 percent of total production, with the remainder drawn from these trusted external sites across Sonoma. Saralee's Vineyard supplies Gewürztraminer as well as Pinot Noir.

• Trenton Estate Vineyard is 11 acres and holds some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines in Russian River Valley; approximately 85 percent of the home vineyard is Pinot Noir
• Estate fruit represents approximately 30 percent of total production
• External vineyard sources include Saralee's, Ritchie, Catie's Corner, DNA, Solas, and Trenton View
• Saralee's Vineyard is also a Gewürztraminer source, reflecting the winery's range beyond Burgundian varieties

Joe Swan built his reputation on balanced, restrained wines made using traditional Burgundian techniques, a philosophy that Rod Berglund has carried forward since taking over winemaking in 1988. The house style emphasizes finesse over power, with wines intended to age rather than impress on release. Swan's most lasting technical contribution is the Swan Pinot Noir selection he developed on the estate, which is now registered through UC Davis Foundation Plant Services and formally available for propagation across California. The winery produces single-vineyard Pinot Noirs that reflect distinct site characteristics, alongside the blended Cuvée de Trois, launched in 1999, which accounts for approximately 40 percent of production and is assembled from fruit across three vineyards. Old-vine Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and occasional varieties such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer round out the range.

• Traditional Burgundian techniques have defined the house style from the Swan era forward
• The Swan Pinot Noir selection is registered through UC Davis Foundation Plant Services
• Cuvée de Trois, launched in 1999, blends fruit from three vineyards and represents 40 percent of winery production
• The range extends to old-vine Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, and Riesling alongside the core Pinot Noirs

Joseph Swan Vineyards holds a foundational place in the history of Russian River Valley and California Pinot Noir. By replanting Laguna Road to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay starting in 1969 and making estate-grown Pinot Noir in the early 1970s, Swan demonstrated that the cool, fog-influenced corner of Sonoma could produce wines of genuine Burgundian character and aging potential, at a time when California was still associated with extracted, big-alcohol reds. The Swan selection, now registered through UC Davis, means his genetic contribution to California viticulture extends far beyond the estate itself. Under the Berglunds, the winery continues to operate as a small family business rooted in the same values Swan established, providing one of the clearest through-lines from California's pioneering winemaking generation to the present.

• Credited as the first modern producer to both grow and make Pinot Noir in what is now the Russian River Valley AVA
• The Swan Pinot Noir selection is registered through UC Davis and remains influential across California
• Continuous family ownership and winemaking philosophy since 1967 provides rare historical continuity
• Early advocacy for old-vine Zinfandel as a fine wine variety adds a second dimension to the winery's pioneering legacy