Ambassador james zellerbach founded hanzell vineyards in 1953 with a vision to create wines that could compete on the world stage. Hanzell is tucked away in the steep hills of the mayacamas mountain range, just north of downtown sonoma. Hanzell vineyards sonoma 2020 all you need to know before. Hanzell is one of the most revered producers of california chardonnay, producing wines in a leaner, more restrained style the antithesis of the buttery, oaky chardonnay stereotype. Zellerbach acquired the 200 acre hanzell estate on the mayacamas slopes above the town of sonoma in 1948, and in 1952 he planted 2 acres of pinot noir and 4 acres of chardonnay.
Doris muscatine, maynard amerine, bob thompson, 1984, the book of. It will expand hanzell s production capacity from 3,000. Ambassador james zellerbach founded hanzell vineyards in 1953 with a vision to. Hanzell vineyards in sonoma valley is a spectacular winery to visit.
Most white wine from burgundy is 100% chardonnay, but the varietal is rarely listed. Old time wine drinkers believed that the quality of a mans wine depended on his own quality and character. At the time, the entire state of california had fewer than 200 acres planted to chardonnay. Named after his wife hana, hanzell sits at the southern toe of the mayacamas mountain range overlooking the southwestern end of sonoma valley and san pablo bay. Hanzell vineyards is a california wine producer located just outside the town of sonoma.
The winery is a gem in the sonoma valley in more ways than one. Since 1957 the winery has been making chardonnay and pinot noir. Still quality, character and reverence after 50 years the. The variety originated in the burgundy wine region of. Zellerbach hired ralph bradford webb in 1956 to be his winemaker and webb would be integral to the winemaking for the first two decades of hanzell. Definitely off the beaten path, hanzell vineyards straddles the mayacamas ridge overlooking both sonoma and napa. We enjoyed a private tasting at hanzell vineyards based on a recommendation and we are so glad we went.
The chardonnay and pinot noirs of hanzell vineyards have won numerous awards and are known for their ageability and finesse. Priced in the top 20% for white wines from sonoma valley. Chardonnay and pinot noir are the only two wines made. The winery business of sonoma county has not been the same since. Built in 1957, the winery has the oldest continually producing chardonnay and pinot noir vines in america.
Hanzell vineyards chardonnay, sonoma valley prices, stores. While they are full of youthful exuberance and ready to drink now, they still carry the character of the hanzell vineyards estate and will also age well making them excellent value. Still quality, character and reverence after 50 years into every bottle of wine made by a vintner of the old school went a little bit of himself. Get snooth s free wine newsletter for a daily dose of what to drink right now, pairing ideas, wine country travel tips, and more. Zellerbach vineyard, hanzell photo courtesy hanzell. To name his winery, he combined his last name with his wifes name, hannah, to create hanzell winery. Hanzells 60yearold chardonnay vines are the oldest in the western hemisphere, and are the only vines hanzell uses in its finest chardonnay, ambassador. In its 60year history, hanzell has employed only four winemakers. Bob sessions oversaw 28 vintages at hanzell vineyards the sonoma, calif. The chardonnay of hanzell vineyards, one of the most influential producers in californias winemaking history, is staging a comeback in the new york region. Hanzell is a legendary winery perched on the hillside of sonomas mayacamas mountains.
The winery was founded by james david zellerbach who acquired 200 acres in the mayacamas mountains in 1943 and began planting pinot noir and chardonnay in 1953. The situation was different for hanzell since the winery was also. Hanzell vineyards sonoma 2020 all you need to know. Hanzell vineyards pinot noir, sonoma valley prices, stores. The experience will conclude with a tasting of three current release wines in our historic heritage winery. Hanzell vineyards pioneered temperaturecontrolled fermentation and the. This is the second most expensive wine made from pinot noir in sonoma valley. Named after his wife hana, hanzell sits at the southern toe of the.
Jordan kivelstadt of kivelstadt cellars is the 2020 innovator of the year for his forwardthinking, industryleading practices. It has an illustrious history and serves as a model of quietspoken elegance in winemaking. They are greatly respected in the industry and hardly known to the average wine consumer. Zellerbach from 1973, when he was picked to succeed. Hanzell was also among the first vineyards to plant the wente clone of chardonnay. The winery was founded by james david zellerbach future united states ambassador to italy who acquired 200 acres in the mayacamas mountains in 1943 and began planting pinot noir and chardonnay in 1953. Drawing on his encyclopedic knowledge of a grape variety considered by many to produce the ultimate food wine. The ava, which was recognized in 1982, has a varied terroir that is less influenced by the.
One would think since theyve been making wine since 1957 that everyone in the wine world would know hanzell, but that just is not the case. On several occasions, sessions and i tasted complete verticals of the winery s chardonnay and its pinot noir, and for the most part, all of the wines dating to the 1960s aged extremely well. Hanzell vineyards in californias sonoma valley was founded in 1957 by james david zellerbach, a member of the family that owned the paper products manufacturing company crown zellerbach corp. Meanwhile, hanzells new winery which fortunately was on the drawing board before the tca problem hit is due to open later this month. He becomes only the third winemaker in hanzell vineyards history. Our guide, logan, was knowledgeable, hilarious and we felt like friends by the end of the tour. Zellerbach had been a diplomat in europe where he developed a taste for the wines of burgundy, and his idea was to make similar wines in california. The sonoma valley wine region and appellation sonomacounty.
This package also includes a winemaker signed 750 ml 2016 hanzell vineyards chardonnay bottle. Zellerbach hired ralph bradford webb in 1956 to be his winemaker and webb. Definitely off the beaten path, hanzell vineyards straddles the mayacamas ridge overlooking both sonoma and napa valleys. Best wine books top ten wine cookbooks best wine fiction books.
After extensive time spent in burgundy, zellerbach returned inspired and educated by the regions. Hanzell vineyards pinot noir, sonoma valley prices. Since 1961, only hanzell s estategrown fruit goes into making all hanzell wines, an enviable position just a few california wines can follow. The chardonnays of hanzell are known for their brilliant ageing ability, something consistently demonstrated through the winerys commitment to offering libraryrelease wines to members of their. Drawing on his encyclopedic knowledge of a grape variety considered by many to produce the ultimate food wine, john winthrop haeger offers this expanded, updated companion volume to his awardwinning north american. You are still in the town of sonoma when you turn to head up the winding mountain road that leads to the winery. Complete napa valley california wine history from early 1800s to today. Sessions was the winemaker at hanzell vineyards for nearly 30 years. A classic chardonnay returns to new york the new york times.
Keep your winery profile up to date so that the world of wine lovers can search, find, and favorite you. Heritage winery tours delve into the history of winemaking and viticulture at hanzell with a seated. Everything about the complete history of napa valley, the california wine making industry, and sonoma county history from the. Some of californias historic wineries are notable merely by virtue of their history.
At hanzell she found a great story the winery is one of sonomas pioneers that just needed to be retold, she says. A guide to sonomas best winery experiences, part 1 wine. Hanzell is at the end of a long, single lane, narrow road, so take your time getting there. State fund did not notify hanzell of the reclassification nor did it effect the reclassification until 1987, after it had audited hanzell for the first time. Besides the winerys magnificent site on the mayacamas slopes, one of hanzells secrets to its success has been its old vines, first planted when zellerbach built the winery in 1953. Hanzell vineyards was our favorite place in sonoma by far. Find out about sonoma valley wine region, its appellation and sonoma wineries. Book hanzell vineyards in sonoma county, explore their tasting menu, see.
Old time wine drinkers believed that the quality of a mans. He was very personable and knowledgeable about the winery, wine, history and. This sonoma valley winery has a rich history filled with many brilliant wines, thanks in large part to winemaker bob sessions, whos now. In fact, hanzell can take some credit for the technical innovations that made highquality chardonnay production possible in california. Hanzell vineyards in sonoma valley wine country getaways. Zellerbach acquired the 200 acre hanzell estate on the mayacamas slopes above the town of sonoma in 1948, and in 1952 he planted 2 acres of pinot noir and 4 acres of chardonnay on the site. Hanzell is literally a hidden gem in the town of sonoma.
Hanzell comes clean when an historical sonoma winery. Once a winery profile is claimed, only that verified user will have access to the profiles administration. While they are full of youthful exuberance and ready to drink now, they still carry the character of. Feb 16, 1994 the chardonnay of hanzell vineyards, one of the most influential producers in californias winemaking history, is staging a comeback in the new york region. In 2002 she married bob sessions, the winery s former. Media in category hanzell vineyards the following 14 files are in this category, out of 14 total.
Our guide, logan, was knowledgeable, hilarious and we felt like. Stores and prices for hanzell vineyards chardonnay, sonoma valley prices, stores, tasting notes and market data. Hanzell vineyards second wines, hanzell sebella chardonnay and pinot noir, are made from younger vines. The original owner james zellerbach had been the us ambassador to italy. This is the seventh most popular wine from sonoma valley. Featuring more than two hundred indepth winery profiles, this definitive guide is the best single source of information on worldrenowned pinot noirs from california and oregon. Hanzell is the rare example of a rich, trailblazing history meeting currentrelease wines as exciting as any in california with an exceptionally scenic view to boot. More than a personal tour, a visit to palmaz vineyards and winery is a singular epicurean experience of wine and perfectly paired hors doeuvres that will forge an unforgettable memory of napa valley. A private cave tour is also available, or book a serene sunday. May 31, 2014 hanzell vineyards high above the sonoma valley on the western side of the mayacamus mountains is the hanzell winery.
Yount was the first person to seriously plant vines, napa valley history was made by john patchett, who gets credit for creating the first official vineyard and winery in the napa valley. Discover hanzell, a winery in sonoma county, united states and explore their most popular wines. Hanzell vineyards high above the sonoma valley on the western side of the mayacamus mountains is the hanzell winery. Stores and prices for hanzell vineyards pinot noir, sonoma valley prices, stores, tasting notes and market data. Mar 26, 20 hanzell is a legendary winery perched on the hillside of sonomas mayacamas mountains. These highly prized characteristics are detailed in the video interview. While some people prefer to learn history from books, sonomans like to drink it. Hanzell winery for details on hanzell chardonnay, pinot noir. First of all, the views are amazing as hanzell is located very high on a hill overlooking the. The vineyard now takes up 46 acres of vineyards, 6 acres of residences with gardens, and 148 acres of oak woodland.
The variety originated in the burgundy wine region of eastern france, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from england to new zealand. Winery guests are lavished with attention during a vineyard tour and intimate tasting. Zin, syrah, tempranillo, grenache blend from california fruit. Complete napa valley california wine history from early 1800s. Sonoma valley, is one of californias most notable wine regions, located in the southern part of sonoma county. One of the top wines from sonoma valley that people are searching for. Hanzell vineyards chardonnay, sonoma valley prices. Join them at these beautiful wineries that changed the history of wine for both.
The zellerbachs created the first vintage in 1957 and named their winery hanzell, a contraction of mrs. James zellerbach of crown zellerbach, who was the u. John patchett began planting vines in 1854 and started producing wine just three years later in 1857. Foursquare uses cookies to provide you with an optimal experience, to personalize ads that you may see, and to help advertisers measure the results of their ad campaigns. Oct 16, 2003 meanwhile, hanzell s new winery which fortunately was on the drawing board before the tca problem hit is due to open later this month. Hanzel would go on to pioneer in the california several winemaking techniques that would become associated with the style of california chardonnay including t. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the. The history of wine while certainly encompassing the evolution of viniculture touches upon many aspects of society.