Sonoma Valley · Est. 1953
Hanzell Vineyards
The Sonoma estate that brought Burgundy to California in 1953
Hanzell Vineyards, founded in 1953 by Ambassador James D. Zellerbach on the slopes of the Mayacamas Range above Sonoma Valley, holds a singular place in California wine history as the estate that introduced Burgundian varieties and winemaking philosophy to the New World. Zellerbach planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at a time when fewer than 200 acres of each variety existed in all of North America. The estate is now home to the oldest continuously producing Chardonnay vineyard in North America, with the original 1953 planting still yielding fruit more than seven decades after it went into the ground.
The Ambassador and the Birth of California Burgundy
In 1943, James D. Zellerbach, heir to the Crown Zellerbach paper fortune and a future U.S. Ambassador to Italy, acquired 200 acres of hillside land above the town of Sonoma. After years of diplomatic travel through France and deep immersion in the wines of Burgundy, Zellerbach returned to California with a singular conviction: that Sonoma Valley possessed the soils, elevation, and climate to rival the great estates of the Cote de Beaune. In 1953 he engaged viticulturist Ivan Schoch to plant six acres of vines, four in Chardonnay and two in Pinot Noir, on slopes facing southwest over San Pablo Bay. At the time the entire state of California had fewer than 200 acres of Chardonnay planted statewide. He built a small winery modeled closely on a Burgundian cuverie, complete with a stone chateau-style structure, and hired pioneering winemaker Brad Webb to carry his vision into the cellar. The first commercial vintage was released in 1957. Since 1975 the estate has been owned exclusively by the de Brye family, with Alexander de Brye taking stewardship in 1991, ensuring that nearly seven decades of Burgundian commitment have remained unbroken under continuous private ownership.
Winemaking Pioneer: The California Firsts That Changed an Industry
Brad Webb brought a scientists precision to a craft that in mid-century California was still largely improvised. At Hanzell, Webb introduced a series of techniques that are now standard throughout the wine world but were genuinely radical departures in the late 1950s. He commissioned what is believed to be the first temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation tanks used in a California winery. Working with UC Davis professor John Ingraham, Webb developed one of the earliest systematic approaches to malolactic fermentation in California, using it to soften the naturally brisk acidity in estate Chardonnay while adding texture and secondary complexity. He also pioneered nitrogen-sparged bottling to prevent oxidation, a technique the broader industry adopted decades later, and introduced small 60-gallon French oak barrels for aging in place of the large redwood casks and neutral American oak that dominated California cellars at the time. These cumulative innovations at Hanzell rippled outward across Napa and Sonoma and shaped the template for premium California Chardonnay that winemakers still follow today.
Terroir: Mayacamas Slopes, Heritage Clones, and Certified Organic Land
Hanzell sits on the southern face of the Mayacamas Range at elevations that produce one of the most dramatic diurnal temperature swings in Sonoma Valley. Warm afternoons build fruit richness and phenolic ripeness, while cold air draining off the mountains each night preserves the sharp natural acidity that defines the estate style and allows the wines to age for 15 to 20 years without fatigue. The soils are thin, rocky, and volcanic, stressing the vines and concentrating flavor in the small clusters they produce. Hanzell earned CCOF Certified Organic status in 2021, formalizing a holistic integrated farming approach that began in 2016 and incorporates resident sheep, pigs, chickens, babydoll lambs, geese, and Maremma guardian dogs that graze between rows. The Hanzell Clone Chardonnay and Hanzell Clone Pinot Noir, propagated from the original 1953 plantings, have been distributed to vineyards throughout California and Oregon, making this Sonoma hillside a genetic reference point for premium Burgundian varieties across the entire Pacific Coast wine industry.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir: Wines Built for the Long Haul
Hanzell produces approximately 7,000 cases annually across a tightly focused lineup. The Heritage Chardonnay is the anchor of the portfolio, sourced from the oldest blocks including the Ambassadors 1953 Vineyard. The winemaking is deliberately restrained: 75 percent of the fruit ferments in stainless steel to preserve freshness and mineral character, while 25 percent undergoes barrel fermentation. The assembled wine then ages one year in 60-gallon French oak. Only the barrel-fermented portion completes malolactic fermentation, which means the final wine retains a bracing acidity that propels it through decades of bottle aging. A library Chardonnay from 2005 tasted in 2021 scored 95 points and was described as still fresh and complex, 15 years after vintage. The Farm Series explores individual blocks including the Day Selection, the Ramos Selection, and an unoaked stainless-steel Chardonnay. The Heritage Pinot Noir is made with 10 percent whole-cluster fermentation and aged 18 months in two-thirds new 60-gallon French oak.
Plan Your Visit
18596 Lomita Avenue, Sonoma, CA 95476
Monday through Friday by appointment only. Closed August and September.
Heritage Tour and Tasting: $90 per person, approx 90 minutes, cave and winery tour plus 4 estate wine pours
Home to the oldest continuously producing Chardonnay vineyard in North America, planted 1953. CCOF Certified Organic since 2021.
CCOF Certified Organic since 2021. Resident sheep, pigs, chickens, babydoll lambs, geese and Maremma guardian dogs on 44 estate acres
From Sonoma Plaza head north on Broadway, then turn onto Lomita Avenue and continue approximately 2 miles up the hillside
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Hanzell Vineyards founded?
Hanzell Vineyards was founded in 1953 by Ambassador James D. Zellerbach, who planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on the Mayacamas slopes above Sonoma at a time when fewer than 200 acres of either variety existed in all of California. The first commercial vintage was released in 1957.
Why is Hanzell Vineyards historically important to California wine?
Hanzell is historically significant because founding winemaker Brad Webb introduced techniques in the late 1950s that became the foundation of the modern California wine industry: temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation, small French oak barrel aging, systematic malolactic fermentation, and nitrogen-sparged bottling. The estate also planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at scale when those varieties barely existed in North America, and its heritage vine clones have since been propagated throughout California and Oregon.
What wines does Hanzell Vineyards produce?
Hanzell produces approximately 7,000 cases per year across Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon, all grown on 44 certified organic estate acres in Sonoma Valley. The flagship Heritage Chardonnay and Heritage Pinot Noir are built for long aging; the Farm Series explores individual blocks; and the Sebella Chardonnay offers an earlier-drinking option.
How do you visit Hanzell Vineyards?
Hanzell receives visitors by appointment only, Monday through Friday, and closes during August and September for harvest. The Heritage Tour and Tasting costs $90 per person, lasts approximately 90 minutes, and includes a walking tour of the cave, production facility, and historic winery followed by four estate wine pours.
What is the Burgundian influence at Hanzell?
Founder James Zellerbach was captivated by the wines of Burgundy during his diplomatic travels through France and built a winery modeled on a Burgundian cuverie, planted only Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and hired winemaker Brad Webb to pursue Burgundian cellar techniques including French oak aging and controlled malolactic fermentation, a philosophy that has guided every Hanzell vintage for more than 70 years.
Is Hanzell Vineyards certified organic?
Yes. Hanzell earned CCOF Certified Organic status in 2021 for all estate vineyard acres after transitioning to holistic integrated farming practices beginning in 2016. The farming system uses resident sheep, pigs, chickens, babydoll lambs, geese, and Maremma guardian dogs to manage weeds and pests between vine rows without synthetic chemicals.
Who owns Hanzell Vineyards today?
Hanzell has been owned by the de Brye family since 1975. Alexander de Brye inherited the property in 1991 and has maintained it as a family-owned estate. Jason Jardine has served as President and Director of Winemaking since 2014, continuing a lineage that includes Bob Sessions, who shaped the estate style across 30 vintages from 1973 to 2001.
Content by the Popular Wines editorial team. Information verified against official winery sources.
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