Schramsberg Vineyard
Why it's listed
Schramsberg Vineyard covers about 170 acres of hilly land southwest of the highway between St. Helena and Calistoga. Jacob Schram, a former barber who grew up in a German winemaking region, began planting there after 1862. He dug storage tunnels into the hillside to keep wine cool and humid, starting the first in the mid-1860s and adding a second in 1881. The district also holds an 1889 Queen Anne house, a bunkhouse from about 1870, a barn built in 1892 after a fire, a formal garden and an olive allee. Schram kept production small, used only his own grapes and sold no crop to large cellars, so his wine stood for quality at a time when many Napa Valley producers failed. The vineyard declined after 1905 and returned to production from 1965, adding newer buildings that do not contribute to the historic character. The older core remains largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the vineyard was important to Napa Valley winemaking in the second half of the nineteenth century. Schram emphasized quality over quantity, using only his own grapes and aging wine in hand-dug hillside tunnels, which helped the valley gain prominence as a leading viticultural center. The grounds and key buildings remain largely as they were around 1905.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 98001251, listed October 22, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1400 Scramsberg Rd., Calistoga |
|---|---|
| County | Napa County |
| Listed | October 22, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98001251 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1867-1905 |
| Architect / builder | Morton, John |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne; Other: Tunnels; No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | All but one of the thirteen elements are described as in excellent condition. Wine-making resumed after 1965 following nearly half a century of disuse, and the property remains in vineyard and winery use. |
| Acreage | 170 |
| Coordinates | 38.55144, -122.54007 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 98001251.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7432798
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.