Our History

Frei Brothers Sonoma Reserve has been a part of the fabric of Sonoma County for over a century. After coming to California from his native Switzerland, founder Andrew Frei first established vineyards in the Dry Creek Valley in 1890. His two sons, Walter and Louis, eventually took over and adopted the name Frei Brothers. They successfully ran the winery for over 70 years.

The beautiful Frei Brothers vineyards caught the eye of Julio Gallo soon after the repeal of Prohibition. He began using the site as a vineyard source for the rapidly growing E. & J. Gallo Winery. Once Walter and Louis had both retired in the late 1970s, the Gallo family purchased Frei Ranch. They have since further developed the vineyard to become what it is today.

Our long history in Sonoma County has allowed us to form long-lasting connections with our growers — some relationships dating back as much as 70 years. Among these partners are some of Sonoma County’s oldest winegrowing families, farmers who have been cultivating their vineyards and perfecting their techniques over generations. Led by our passionate winegrower, Scott Johnsen, we work hand in hand with our vineyard managers and growers to select the best sites for each of our varieties. The result is exceptional fruit grown in its ideal place, which allows our winemakers to craft complex wines with immense clarity of flavor.

We are proud to have had such an enduring history in Sonoma. We know that for our story to continue for generations to come, we must do all we can to care for the land. For this reason we have been using earth-friendly farming practices for over three decades. Our commitment to caring for the earth and years of experience in Sonoma County come together in producing award-winning wines.

Sonoma County has been our home for more than 125 years. The October 2017 wildfires were among the most devastating in our history. We want to thank everyone for their support and well-wishes – it has been tremendously helpful for everyone in our community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all our Napa and Sonoma neighbors who have suffered losses. We are enormously thankful to the firefighters and emergency responders who worked tirelessly to keep our communities safe.

To help provide relief to those affected by these fires, our winery has donated to the following organizations. Please join us if you can.

Sonoma Community Foundation: http://www.sonomacf.org/support-resilience-fund/ American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/local/california/northern-california-coastal/wildfires-response-october-2017