PELTIER WINERY & VINEYARDS
Lodi, California
Rodney Schatz grew up in Lodi, where two generations before him grew grapes in the burgeoning California wine landscape. He knew his entire life that he wanted to farm his own vineyards one day. He got his chance in 1985, when he was able to purchase a little over 17 hectares of old vine Zinfandel in central Lodi, right at the cusp of the area's ratification as an AVA in 1986.
Over the next two decades, he built a reputation as a source for quality grapes and custom crush wine for producers across the state. In 2005, he and his wife Gayla decided to bottle their own wine and launched their own estate label. Peltier was born.
As the operation grew, Rodney was careful never to lose sight of his roots - the early days in his career when he would spend harvest nights sleeping in the bed of his pickup truck in the vineyard. He is fully committed to sustainability and was one of the first producers in Lodi to treat the winery's process water and create a worm farm for composting. His natural leadership abilities earned him the position of Chairman of the California Association of Winegrape Growers and President of the Lodi Winegrape Commission.
In 2022, winemaker Gianni Abate came aboard, bringing with him considerable experience from years spent honing his craft at Robert Mondavi, Morgan Winery, and Chalone. Peltier's wines remain a standard-bearer for quality and value in the market, a model of consistency in the dynamic California wine trade.
Wines
Peltier Winery "Hybrid" Sauvignon Blanc
Peltier Winery "Hybrid" Chardonnay
Peltier Winery "Hybrid" Pinot Noir