In mid-January, Coastal Wine & Tapas invited Schweiger Vineyards to sample wines and meet guests as part of the Meet Your Winemaker series.
After eight years, Coastal Wine Market & Tasting Room is rebranding to Coastal Wine & Tapas and relocating to a new expanded space in Nocatee Town Center later this year. Local owners Steve and Shaun Lourie continue the cherished traditions that have built a loyal following for more than eight years, including the popular Meet Your Winemaker series.
Andrew “Andy” Schweiger of Schweiger Vineyards joined customers at Coastal Wine & Tapas to meet new, potential customers and explain the family legacy behind the Schweiger brand.
Schweiger’s appearance came at the request of loyal customers in the area, members of the Schweiger Wine Club, who requested a pop-up at Coastal Wine & Tapas location. When Schweiger reached out about hosting pop-ups, he never expected such an overwhelming response. What started as a simple inquiry quickly turned into 16 consecutive days of events in Florida.
“We’ve only grown and succeeded because of the faithful following that we’ve developed across the country,” Schweiger said.
Schweiger Vineyards began with Fred and Sally Schweiger, who purchased the 55-acre property in the mountains of St. Helena, California, in the early 1960s. After stumbling upon some old rows of grape plants, Fred Schweiger contemplated turning grape-growing into a hobby. By the 1980s, Schweiger Vineyards was planting, harvesting and selling wine grapes to wineries across Napa Valley. A short time after, the Schweigers decided to develop their own wines from the grapes they grew, releasing the first vintage of Schweiger Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in 1994.
Now approaching their 32nd vintage, Schweiger Vineyards distributes its wine at local stores in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Arizona and New York, though they’re working on expanding availability.
“There aren’t a lot of wineries that have a 32-year track record of the same source every year, the same farming team and the same winemaker,” Schweiger said, proud of his family’s hard work and ingenuity throughout the years.
Schweiger Vineyards is a certified sustainable vineyard through the Napa Green Certified Vineyard program. They also have the distinction of being a certified Fish Friendly Farming vineyard, which goes beyond the scope of organic farming.
“I was a farmer before I was a winemaker,” Schweiger said. “I farm with the principle that God has given my family the gift of this land and it’s my responsibility as a steward to not only preserve it but to leave it in better condition than when I got here.”
The Meet Your Winemaker series at Coastal Wine & Tapas allowed Schweiger to relay this message not only to the dedicated fans who requested a pop-up, but also to the new guests who were discovering his wines for the first time, creating a shared experience that blended storytelling, education and exceptional wine.
