Hanzell Vineyards

Hanzell Vineyards owes its existence to one man's Burgundy obsession. James David Zellerbach, a San Francisco native and future U.S. Ambassador to Italy, acquired 200 acres in the Mayacamas Mountains in 1943 and began planting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 1953. His time spent traveling through Burgundy had ignited a passion for those two grape varieties, and he returned determined to prove they could yield world-class wine in California. At the time, the entire state of California had fewer than 200 acres planted to Chardonnay, making this a genuinely contrarian, visionary act. The winery was named by combining his wife Hana's name with their family name Zellerbach. To realize his dream, Zellerbach enlisted viticulturalist Ivan Schoch and, in 1957, hired winemaker Ralph Bradford 'Brad' Webb. The first vintage was produced in 1957. Zellerbach passed away in 1963, and the estate briefly closed before being sold to Douglas and Mary Day in 1966, who reopened it and kept the vision alive. Since 1975, Hanzell has been solely owned by the de Brye family.

• Zellerbach acquired the 200-acre Mayacamas property in 1943 but began planting vines only in 1953
• The name 'Hanzell' is a portmanteau of his wife Hana's name and the family surname Zellerbach
• At planting time, all of California had fewer than 200 acres of Chardonnay in the ground
• Three families have owned the estate: the Zellerbachs (1953 to 1965), the Days (1966 to 1975), and the de Bryes (1975 to present)

Hanzell's influence on California winemaking is almost impossible to overstate. Working with winemaker Brad Webb, Zellerbach commissioned what are believed to be the first small temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation tanks in the world, alongside an early nitrogen-sparged bottling machine and an electrode to measure dissolved oxygen. These innovations gave winemakers unprecedented control over fermentation temperature and oxidation, practices that are now universal across the global industry. Hanzell was also among the first California wineries to age wine exclusively in small French oak barrels, and Webb pioneered controlled malolactic fermentation and the use of inert gases in anaerobic winemaking at the estate. These techniques, together, became the defining DNA of the modern California Chardonnay style, even as Hanzell itself remained committed to a more restrained, Burgundian expression of the grape.

• Brad Webb commissioned the first small temperature-controlled stainless steel fermenters, revolutionizing fermentation control worldwide
• Among the first California wineries to age wines exclusively in small French oak barrels
• Pioneered controlled malolactic fermentation and oxidation reduction through inert gas use in California
• These innovations are now standard across the global wine industry, yet Hanzell's own style stayed restrained and Burgundian

Hanzell sits within the Moon Mountain AVA on the southern edge of the Mayacamas mountain range, overlooking Sonoma Valley and San Pablo Bay. The estate's 46 acres of vines are planted at elevations ranging from approximately 415 to 830 feet, on a combination of Red Hills Series volcanic soils and Raynor-Montara clay-loam soils. This volcanic ash and clay-loam profile, combined with the hillside's unique microclimate, is widely credited for the wines' striking mineral tension, bright natural acidity, and exceptional aging potential. The Ambassador's 1953 Vineyard, the original six-acre planting comprising two acres of Pinot Noir and four acres of Chardonnay, is considered the oldest continually producing vineyard of these two varieties in the Western Hemisphere. The original Chardonnay vines are of the Wente clone, which arrived via Stony Hill Vineyard in St. Helena, itself sourced from Wente's Livermore vineyard in 1948. The original Pinot Noir vines were derived from Martin Ray estate cuttings, now referred to as the Mount Eden clone.

• Moon Mountain AVA site; elevations of 415 to 830 feet on Red Hills volcanic and Raynor-Montara clay-loam soils
• Original 1953 Chardonnay vines are Wente Clone; original 1953 Pinot Noir vines are the Mount Eden (Martin Ray) clone
• The Ambassador's 1953 Vineyard blocks (C53 and N53) are considered the oldest continually producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines in the Western Hemisphere
• Volcanic ash soils and hillside microclimate contribute to the wines' signature minerality, tension, and longevity

Hanzell produces a focused portfolio of certified organic estate wines centered on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. The flagship Estate Chardonnay is sourced from 32 acres across multiple named blocks, including the Ambassador's 1953, Day, de Brye, Ramos, and Zellerbach vineyards, with an average vine age of around 40 years. It is fermented and aged in French oak with partial malolactic fermentation, resulting in a wine celebrated for its depth, citrus and orchard fruit character, mineral tension, and extraordinary aging potential. The Estate Pinot Noir, sourced from 12 acres including the de Brye, Sessions, and Ambassador's 1953 blocks, is hand-harvested, given a cold soak, and aged approximately 10 months in French oak with around 23 percent new wood. The 'Sebella' tier, introduced at a more accessible price point, uses fruit from younger estate vines and is fermented in stainless steel and aged in neutral French oak for six months, designed to be enjoyed earlier. Ultra-rare, single-block 'Ambassador's 1953 Vineyard' bottlings of both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are produced when quantities allow, often in runs of only 50 to 75 cases.

• Estate Chardonnay: sourced from multiple named blocks with average vine age of 40 years; partial malolactic fermentation; aged in French oak
• Estate Pinot Noir: hand-harvested from 12 acres; 7 to 10 day cold soak; aged 10 months in French oak (approximately 23% new)
• 'Sebella' tier uses younger estate vines; fermented in stainless steel; aged 6 months in neutral French oak for earlier drinking
• Ultra-limited 'Ambassador's 1953 Vineyard' single-block wines produced in runs of only 50 to 75 cases

One of Hanzell's most remarkable attributes is its continuity. In over 70 years of production, the estate has had only four winemakers. Brad Webb served as the founding winemaker from 1956 to approximately 1973, pioneering the estate's core techniques. Bob Sessions, who moved from Mayacamas Vineyards, then oversaw winemaking for approximately 30 vintages from 1973 to 2001, becoming a legend in his own right and fiercely preserving Hanzell's restrained, nuanced style through the era of California's richer, oakier Chardonnay trend. Michael Terrien followed from 2001 to 2006, and Michael McNeill took over in 2008, continuing the house style. Jason Jardine joined as President and Director of Winemaking in 2014, bringing experience from Flowers Vineyard and Rhys Vineyards. The de Brye family, who have owned the estate since 1975, have proven equally steadfast in their stewardship, overseeing the expansion of the estate's organic farming program, including its CCOF certification, and the growth of the Hanzell Farm series.

• Only four winemakers in over 70 years: Brad Webb, Bob Sessions, Michael Terrien/McNeill, and Jason Jardine (from 2014)
• Bob Sessions oversaw approximately 30 vintages (1973 to 2001), defending Hanzell's Burgundian style during the era of rich, oaky California Chardonnay
• The de Brye family has owned the estate since 1975, supporting organic certification and long-term vineyard expansion
• The estate achieved CCOF certified organic status, underscoring its bio-farm philosophy

Today, Hanzell is run as a true bio-farm. The 200-acre estate is CCOF certified organic, and alongside the 46 acres of vines, the property includes livestock such as pigs, chickens, turkeys, and sheep, a productive kitchen garden that feeds the estate's staff year-round, and 150 acres of oak woodland. The farming approach uses a natural nutrient cycle to reduce the estate's carbon footprint, with no synthetic chemicals or pesticides used on the property. Current winemaker and president Jason Jardine has deepened this commitment with a focus on regenerative farming and minimal-intervention winemaking, emphasizing the expression of Hanzell's unique terroir in every bottle. The estate produces approximately 7,000 cases per year across all its tiers, keeping production deliberately limited to preserve the integrity of the land.

• CCOF certified organic across all 46 vineyard acres; no synthetic chemicals or pesticides used on the 200-acre estate
• Bio-farm model includes livestock, a year-round kitchen garden, and 150 acres of oak woodland
• Natural nutrient cycles replace synthetic inputs, reducing the estate's carbon footprint
• Production is limited to approximately 7,000 cases per year to maintain estate integrity