WALTER HANSEL WINE OFFER

One of the great values on our wine list are the wines from the Walter Hansel Winery. Robert Parker says:

“Combining quality with reasonable prices and Estate-grown grapes, you can't do much better than Stephen Hansel's chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. " - Wine Advocate #210

"These are consistently terrific wines, seemingly regardless of vintage conditions. Moreover, they are reasonably priced, and wine consumers couldn't have a better friend than proprietor Stephen Hansel" - Wine Advocate #187

"This is a source for very fine Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs at some of the most realistic prices to be found in Northern California." - Wine Advocate #180

"One of northern California's "good guys" is undeniably Stephen Hansel, who fashions top-quality Burgundian-styled Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Tom Rochioli first brought these wines to my attention, and Hansel is now one of my reference point visits in the North Coast." - Wine Advocate #168

“The consistently run Walter Hansel winery (now in the capable hands of Steve Hansel) has over 40 acres of Chardonnay and 40 acres of Pinot Noir, all family-owned. The fact that 2013 produced a more European style of wine, especially aromatically, flavor-wise and structurally is largely confirmed over and over again by the high-quality producers in both Napa and Sonoma. The Hansel wines follow these tendencies, and the wines all received outstanding ratings”.

Winemaking

The Walter Hansel processes are done in a way that each wine is allowed to express its unique character; never compromising the wine's freshness, finesse or texture. All of the grapes are hand harvest and manually sorted; once in the vineyard and once in the winery. The Pinot Noir is destemmed and gravity guides the whole berries into open topped fermenters.

The Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed into French oak for fermentation. The primary fermentation lasts 2-3 weeks and the maloactic fermentation can last until early spring of the next year.

Every vineyard block is traced from the harvest bins to the barrel to the settling tank before bottling.

THE WINES

2014 North Slope Chardonnay | 93 pts
Reviewed by Robert M. Parker, Jr. | Issue 221, The Wine Adovcate

The 2014 Chardonnay The North Slope comes from sandy, rich and fertile Goldridge soils. This wine exhibits plenty of honeyed brioche, with a greenish hue to its light-gold color, followed by notes of buttery hazelnuts, poached pear, pineapple and citrus oil. This is French in style as well, but with an almost lavish richness like a top-flight French Bâtard-Montrachet. It should drink well for 5-6 years.

2014 Cahill Lane Chardonnay | 92 pts
Reviewed by Robert M. Parker, Jr. | Issue 221, The Wine Advocate

The 2014 Chardonnay Cahill Lane emerges 100% from the Old Wente clone. This is in heavy clay and fertile Goldridge soils and cropped in by at least 30% to improve concentration. This wine, which is less intense than his other Chardonnays, offers notes of lime and other citrus, with crisp acidity. It is medium-bodied, lighter and more restrained. Anticipated maturity: Now-2021.

2014 The Meadows Chardonnay | 91 pts
Reviewed by Robert M. Parker, Jr. | Issue 221, The Wine Advocate

Another new released wine is the 2014 Chardonnay, The Meadows Vineyard, which is a dry-farmed parcel planted with 100% Hanzell clone of Chardonnay. Much more orange marmalade, nectarine, pineapple and tropical fruits are present in this wine that has structure, great acid and a deep, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel. This is a beauty and should continue to drink well for another six or more years.

2014 South Slope Pinot Noir | 90 - 93 pts
Reviewed by Robert M. Parker, Jr. | Issue 221, The Wine Advocate

As for the 2014 Pinot Noir South Slope, this wine shows elegant black cherry and strawberry notes, and come across like a Premier Cru Côte de Beaune. The wine has a dark ruby color, sweet tannin and a nice, plump, round, juicy mouthfeel.

2014 Cuvée Alyce Pinot Noir | 92 - 94 pts
Reviewed by Robert M. Parker, Jr. | Issue 221, The Wine Advocate

There are 810 cases of the 2014 Cuvée Alyce Pinot Noir . This is another flamboyant beauty, with ostentatious notes of black cherry jam, kirsch, spice box, earth and loamy soil undertones. It is full-bodied, opulent and a total hedonistic, intellectual turn-on. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.

THE OFFER

We have created a new online ordering experience which makes the entire wine offer ordering process more streamlined. Click below to order your Walter Hansel wines.

2014 North Slope Chardonnay - $35

2014 Cahill Lane Chardonnay - $35

2014 The Meadows Chardonnay - $32

2014 South Slope Pinot Noir - $39

2014 Cuvée Alyce - $42

Jeff McCarthy, Wine Director
[email protected]
707.569.2906