Mark Schabel

Coming Up

Winemaking through Mark Schabel’s early path was built on formal study and a broad enough range of roles to span production, consulting, teaching, and cellar leadership. Training at University of California, Davis and University of Wisconsin–Madison gave him the technical base; from there, his work moved through Head Winemaker roles at Ponte Winery in Temecula, California and Hidden Hangar Vineyard and Winery in Texas, consulting to wineries throughout California and Texas, and enology faculty at Yavapai College. Today, since 2026, Mark is General Manager and Head Winemaker of Chapelton Vineyards.

Where They Are Now

For Schabel, the craft sits in the balance between technical control and the less predictable work of blending. He has described winemaking as “Mostly science. The art portion is part tradition, history, and bench trials to see if the blend comes together,” a framing that puts bench trials, barrel trials, and modern vineyard management practices at the center of the process. He has also said, “At first it was learning about regions, varieties, and tasting vintage and history. Now, I like more of the engineering and developing wine, and how to improve it.”

In Their Words “Mostly science. The art portion is part tradition, history, and bench trials to see if the blend comes together.”