Schmidt Family Vineyards: Applegate Valley Boutique wines

DeliveryRank has the opportunity to chat with Spencer Brons is a key member of Schmidt Family Vineyards, a family-operated winery in the Applegate Valley of Southern Oregon. Dedicated to crafting award-winning wines, he plays an integral role in managing and selling , contributing to the estate’s reputation for excellence. With a focus on sustainable practices and quality fruit, Spencer helps uphold the winery’s tradition of producing exceptional wines that have earned national and international acclaim.

Schmidt Family Vineyards is a three-generation winemaking family. How have the experiences and insights from each generation influenced your winemaking philosophy and practices?

I would start by saying that we all started in this business around the same time, more or less.  But we all came into it from very different angles. My grandfather launched Schmidt Family Vineyards later in life.  He has always been an entrepreneur and rather than retire he wanted to plant a vineyard and then a winery. While he kept other ventures running, the winery was his passion project—something he had always wanted to do. Even now, he remains actively involved in daily operations alongside my mother, brother, myself, and several other family members.

In terms of winemaking, my grandfather, mother, and brother share responsibilities, each bringing their own perspective to the process. Naturally, different generations have different viewpoints, but I believe that diversity strengthens us. For example, when considering what appeals to our customers we benefit from a range of perspectives. We have a large wine club, a thriving tasting room, and a strong on-premise presence, we can cater to various demographics precisely because we each approach things from different angles.

From a winemaking standpoint, my grandfather sees this as the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, whereas my brother and I grew up in this industry. We helped plant the vineyard and worked here in junior high, so for us, this business feels second nature—it’s simply what we do. While our perspectives may differ, they ultimately complement one another, allowing us to create wines that honor the romance of wine while embracing innovation and changes in the industry.

Your boutique wines are crafted from estate-grown fruit in Oregon's Applegate Valley. Could you discuss the unique characteristics of this terroir and how they are reflected in your wines?

Cal, my grandfather and the owner of Schmidt Family Vineyards, moved to the Southern Oregon in the early 1990s from Sonoma County.  He certainly brought with him a deep influence from the bold, new-world style of winemaking—clean, high-extraction, and fruit-forward. His approach allows for a pure expression of the terroir, maximizing flavor from the fruit and really finding out what the Applegate Valley tastes like.

The Applegate Valley is a fantastic wine-growing region, It differs significantly from the northern part of Oregon, which is known for Pinot Noir. Here, our longer, hotter, and drier growing season allows us to cultivate a diverse range of varietals.  We currently have 24 varietals planted on the estate, including Syrah and Tempranillo, which have gained national recognition. Our Tempranillo, tends to be bigger and bolder than the traditional Spanish style, with a rich mouthfeel and depth of texture that very special. It picks up these wonderful earthy flavors and has just the right amount of acid to balance it out.  Our Syrah’s also tend to be on the earthy side of the spectrum while allowing for just the right amount of blue fruit flavors to show through.  This diversity encourages innovation and experimentation, with winemakers in the valley exploring various microclimates and techniques.

The combination of our soil, climate, and growing conditions results in wines with balanced acidity, bold flavors, and earthy undertones complemented by vibrant fruit characteristics. It’s an exciting region to be a part of, constantly evolving and showcasing the unique potential of Southern Oregon wines.

The vineyard hosts events such as the "Wine is Forever" Library Wine Tasting. How do these events enhance the connection between your wines and the local community?

Our focus at Schmidt Family Vineyards has always been on creating a strong local presence rather than distributing widely. From the beginning, our goal was to sell exclusively to our wine club members and direct-to-consumer, fostering a sense of exclusivity and community. For the first 15 years, that remained our primary focus, and to this day, we continue to prioritize local engagement through events and a welcoming atmosphere.

One of the highlights of our winery is the deep connection we have with our regular guests. Our Friday night gatherings have become a community tradition, with hundreds of people joining us in the summer. My family even has a dedicated picnic table, and my grandparents love seeing familiar faces return week after week. Events like our library tastings are particularly special because my mom and I pour the wines ourselves—wines we originally sold years ago, often to the very same customers.

Beyond tastings, we offer immersive experiences that bring guests along on the winemaking journey. During the fall, we host vineyard hayrides, showcasing the entire process from grape to glass. Some events even allow guests to taste wines mid-fermentation, providing a rare look at the transformation of flavors. These experiences create a meaningful connection between our wines, our process, and the people who enjoy them, making Schmidt Family Vineyards more than just a winery—it’s a community hub.

As a family-owned winery, what strategies do you employ to maintain the balance between traditional winemaking techniques and modern innovations?

At Schmidt Family Vineyards, we strike a balance between tradition and modern innovation, which I think comes from having multiple generations involved in decision-making. My grandparents bring a deep-rooted sense of winemaking tradition, while the younger generation—including myself—leans into efficiency and technological advancements where they make sense.

For example, we embrace mechanical harvesting, which not only allows us to be more precise in picking at optimal ripeness but also ensures we aren’t constrained by labor shortages or unpredictable weather. The modern harvesters are gentle on the fruit, and we can make decisions quickly—sampling berries in the afternoon and harvesting by morning without logistical worries.

That being said, there are certain practices we’ll likely never change. My grandfather is a firm believer in manual punch-downs, and that hands-on approach to fermentation remains part of our identity. We’ve also experimented with using oak chips in stainless steel tanks instead of barrels for some of our lower-end wines, but we’ve consistently found that it doesn’t quite match the depth we’re looking for—so we’ve chosen to stay traditional in that regard.

Ultimately, it’s about balance. We want to honor the romance and history of winemaking while also making the best wines possible with the tools available to us.

We produce around 22 different varietals annually, with approximately 24 planted in the ground. Because vines come in and out of production over time, we typically have 22 varietals producing each year. Including blends and experimental lots, we usually create somewhere in the high 30s to low 40s in total SKUs.

We love experimenting—last year, we played around with an Orange Viognier and a white Pinot Noir, as well as splitting our Chardonnay into multiple fermentation styles. Most of our wines are made in small lots, often around 100–150 cases, and are reserved primarily for our wine club members. However, we also produce some wines in larger quantities, such as Syrah and Tempranillo, which are among our flagship varietals.

The alcohol content of our Syrah generally falls in the 13.5–15% range, though it can vary depending on the vintage. The Applegate Valley’s end-of-season weather can be unpredictable, sometimes cooling down or getting wet earlier than expected, which influences the final alcohol levels.

How do you see the future of the Oregon wine industry evolving, and what role do you envision Schmidt Family Vineyards playing in that growth?

Southern Oregon is definitely an up-and-coming wine region, and we’re seeing steady growth in recognition and footprint. As a collective group of wineries, we’re gaining traction, and I hope to see that momentum continue—both in terms of awareness and in expanding the region’s sales reach.

At Schmidt Family Vineyards, we’re actively working toward that goal. We’ve been expanding our distribution efforts, growing our vineyard and winery, and even doing custom crush for other wineries in the valley. In addition, we’ve been supplying grapes to wineries up north, but our focus is on gradually shifting more of that into our own sales to strengthen our brand and regional presence.

At the same time, we’re committed to producing the best wines possible and getting them in front of judges and panels to boost recognition. By maintaining high-quality production and increasing exposure, we aim to contribute to the region’s rising reputation and expand our footprint in the wine world.

If you would like to find out more about Schmidt Family Vineyards, please visit https://www.sfvineyards.com/