Hirsch Vineyards

David Hirsch purchased a sheep ranch on a coastal ridge in 1978, drawn by his passion for Burgundy and a conviction that the rugged Pacific ridges of Sonoma could produce world-class Pinot Noir. He planted his first two acres of Pinot Noir and Riesling in 1980, making Hirsch one of the oldest plantings on the True Sonoma Coast. For the first two decades, David focused entirely on farming, selling fruit to some of California's most acclaimed producers. In 2002, after more than twenty years of planting and farming, he built a winery and began producing estate wines, motivated by the desire to taste each of his sixty-plus farming parcels individually and better understand their unique soils and microclimates.

• David Hirsch purchased the land in 1978 when it was a working sheep ranch; he planted his first vines in 1980
• By the early 1990s, Hirsch fruit was sought by leading California producers including Littorai, Williams Selyem, Kistler, and Failla, all of whom made Hirsch-designated wines
• First estate Pinot Noir produced in 2002; winery construction on-site completed in 2003; first estate Chardonnay made in 2006
• Jasmine Hirsch joined in 2008, became General Manager in 2015, and winemaker in 2019, with Michael Cruse serving as consulting winemaker alongside her from 2019

Hirsch sits within the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, itself nested inside the West Sonoma Coast AVA, at elevations starting around 920 feet above sea level, placing the vines above the daytime fog belt. The Pacific Ocean lies 2.8 miles to the west, and the San Andreas Fault runs just 0.5 miles from the estate. The fault's tectonic activity has produced an exceptionally complex geology, officially classified as the Franciscan Assembly, containing a chaotic mix of clay, rock, loam, and sand. This geology, combined with diverse aspects and microclimates, drove David Hirsch to subdivide the 72 acres into 67 individual farming blocks, a degree of fragmentation that rivals the famously subdivided vineyards of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. Winters deliver heavy rainfall and fierce storms; summers are dry and cool, with fog rolling in most nights from the ocean.

• Pacific Ocean 2.8 miles west; San Andreas Fault 0.5 miles away; elevations begin at approximately 920 feet, above the daytime fog belt
• The San Andreas Fault created the Franciscan Assembly, a mélange of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary soils across the 72-acre estate
• 72 acres divided into 67 individual farming blocks to reflect sudden changes in soil composition, aspect, and microclimate
• Fort Ross-Seaview AVA established in 2012 by David Hirsch and neighboring growers; West Sonoma Coast AVA officially recognized in 2022

Hirsch began converting to biodynamic viticulture in 2011, completing the transition across all 72 acres of vines, gardens, and orchards by 2014. All viticultural work is done by hand; no machine ever touches a vine. The estate employs up to 20 vineyard workers at peak season, all direct-hire rather than contract labor. Vineyard Manager Everardo Robledo has been with the estate since 1988, and personally planted all 90,000 vines across the 72 acres. The biodynamic approach is tailored block by block, with each parcel farmed according to its specific soil, aspect, microclimate, vine condition, and vintage needs. The majority of the 988-acre ranch is left wild, and the estate produces its own compost and biodynamic preparations on-site.

• Biodynamic conversion began in 2011 and was completed by 2014 across all vineyards, gardens, and orchards; not externally certified
• All viticultural work done by hand; no machines ever touch the vines; up to 20 direct-hire workers employed at harvest
• Everardo Robledo has served as Vineyard Manager since 1988 and personally planted all 90,000 vines across the estate
• Compost, biodynamic preparations, and inputs sourced and produced on the ranch; the majority of the 988-acre property is left wild

The Hirsch winemaking philosophy centers on minimal intervention and transparent terroir expression. Each of the 67 blocks is harvested and vinified separately, and wines are assembled from this palette of individual lots. The San Andreas Fault Estate Pinot Noir is the flagship, blending fruit from approximately 30 distinct farming blocks to represent the summation of the whole vineyard. Single-site wines include the East Ridge, West Ridge, Maritime, Block 8, Raschen Ridge, and Reserve Estate Pinot Noirs. The Estate Chardonnay, made from four acres of vines planted in 1994 with cuttings from Joe Rochioli, is the only white wine produced. The Bohan-Dillon is the sole non-estate wine, sourcing from Hirsch plus neighboring Hellenthal and Heintz vineyards as a West Sonoma Coast village-style bottling.

• San Andreas Fault Estate Pinot Noir: flagship wine blending approximately 30 farming blocks, described by David Hirsch as 'the Hirsch Hirsch'
• Single-site Pinot Noirs include East Ridge (chewy, dark-fruited, tannic, among the most cellar-worthy), West Ridge (ethereal, hauntingly aromatic, lightest-bodied), Maritime, Block 8, and Raschen Ridge
• Estate Chardonnay produced from four acres planted in 1994 with Joe Rochioli cuttings; aged in French and Austrian oak with approximately 27% new oak
• Bohan-Dillon is the only non-estate wine, blending fruit from Hirsch, Hellenthal, and Heintz vineyards; inspired by Burgundian village wines

Hirsch Vineyards has earned sustained critical recognition as one of California's benchmark cool-climate estates. The winery consistently earns scores in the low-to-mid 90s from major critics. The 2011 Chardonnay and 2012 Chardonnay each received All-Americans recognition from the Prince of Pinot, while the 2015 California Pinot Noir earned First Team All-Americans recognition. The San Andreas Fault Estate Pinot Noir averages approximately $80 at retail and has received scores of 92-94 points across multiple recent vintages from publications including Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, and Vinous. Beyond the estate label, Hirsch continues to sell fruit to a select number of wineries, including Littorai and Twomey, each of which bottles vineyard-designated wines.

• 2011 and 2012 Chardonnay both earned All-Americans recognition; 2015 Pinot Noir received First Team All-Americans from Prince of Pinot
• San Andreas Fault Estate Pinot Noir has earned scores ranging from 90 to 94 points across recent vintages from Wine Advocate, Vinous, and Wine Spectator
• Fruit continues to be sold to select outside producers including Littorai and Twomey, both of which release Hirsch vineyard-designated wines
• Hirsch maintains a tasting room in Healdsburg, Sonoma County; estate visits require appointment and prioritize mailing list members

Hirsch Vineyards is a masterclass in how extreme maritime terroir, tectonic geology, and meticulous block-level farming translate into wines of genuine complexity and singular identity. For WSET and CMS students, the estate illustrates the profound role of the San Andreas Fault in diversifying soils and microclimates across a single estate, the differences between the Fort Ross-Seaview and West Sonoma Coast AVAs, and the practical application of biodynamic viticulture at commercial scale. The contrast between Hirsch's single-block bottlings, such as East Ridge versus West Ridge, provides a compelling real-world case study in terroir differentiation within one estate. The estate's elevation above the fog belt, its maritime influence, and its naturally low alcohol levels (typically around 12.8 to 13.5% abv) illustrate how cool-climate sites develop structure and aging potential without reliance on manipulated ripeness.

• Fort Ross-Seaview AVA (established 2012) is nested within the broader West Sonoma Coast AVA (established 2022); Hirsch helped petition for both
• The San Andreas Fault lies just 0.5 miles from the estate, creating over 44 distinct soil types across 72 acres, all farmed block by block
• Hirsch Pinot Noirs typically reach 12.8 to 13.5% abv, demonstrating how elevation above the fog belt and maritime influence allow full ripeness without excessive heat
• Biodynamic conversion completed 2014: began 2011, farm-made inputs, no machines, individual block farming; provides a detailed commercial-scale biodynamics case study