After five generations of farming along the Sacramento River, we like to say that our roots run deep here at Scribner Bend.

A Scribner family photo.

The seed is planted

The seed of our family legacy started way back in 1893 when George Washington Scribner, lured into farming by the rich, deep soils of the Sacramento River Delta, settled his young family on a pear ranch along what was then called Silver Bend. This curve in the river was a regular shipping stop, putting the family farm right at a key pulse-point in the tight-knit Delta community. Over the ensuing years, one generation of dedicated farmers followed the other, and “Silver Bend” inevitably changed names to “Scribner Bend.”

Shoots emerge

In 1992, Mark George Scribner, II, planted the first rows of wine grapes along Scribner Bend – mostly Chardonnay and Tempranillo. He and his wife Lorraine subsequently renovated the 1918 barn on the property, transforming it into the iconic heart of their new venture, Scribner Bend Vineyards. Still closely tied to the River Delta community, Mark & Lorraine developed every aspect of Scribner Bend Vineyards with an eye towards creating opportunities for connection and celebration. They opened their doors in 2002, and we have been raising delicious glass after delicious glass of our very own Clarksburg AVA wine with Sacramento locals and visitors alike ever since.

and the vines grow on!

Thanks in many parts to this connection with the Sacramento Delta community, we have been blessed with opportunities to grow and expand over the years. We added on our Barrel Room in 2007 when we realized we were outgrowing the original barn. Then in 2014 we created a lovely outdoor tent space for vineyard weddings and private events. With beautifully crafted estate-grown wines, amazing staff, and the ongoing love and support of our neighbors and Wine Club members, we look forward to all the new developments that the coming years will continue to bring!

Historical photo of George W Scribner: George Washington Scribner stands proudly for his portrait.

1874

18-year-old George Washington Scribner leaves the homestead in Palmyra, Kansas.

1893

George and his wife Sophie settle along Silver Bend.

1900

Steamboats start to be widely used along the Sacramento River Delta, transporting agricultural products between towns and private landings like the one at Scribner Bend.

People unload produce from a Sacramento Delta steamboat at the Courtland dock in the early 1900s.

1910

Produce from farms and ranches like the one owned by the Scribner family is unloaded at the landing in Courtland and the other small towns that started to grow along the Sacramento Delta.

1925

George’s son Arnold takes over the family farm, bringing in tractors and other new machinery.

1950s

Arnold’s son Mark George Sr. takes the reigns.

1979

Mark George Jr. & his wife Lorraine plant their first crops on the family property.

1992

Mark & Lorraine plant the first wine grapes.

2001

Mark & Lorraine renovate the 1918 barn on the property.

2002

SBV releases its inaugural vintage.

2007

Barrel Room is built behind the original barn.

2022

Mark & Lorraine start their gradual retirement, passing the reigns to their son, Mark George, III.