Hanzell Vineyards

To start with what a beautiful location, my son was here from out of town and I wanted to give him a one stop winery tour.
The location and our private tour guide were both 5 stars, she drove us around and was very knowledgeable.
After we saw the property and the facilities we went to the beautiful tasting room.
We started out tasting the lower end Chardonnay wine. Not very good.
Next we had the Hanzell Chardonnay much better but I won’t pay much more than $ 30 so that was out.
Next what I had been waiting for the Pinot Noir my taste buds were ready,
All I can say is I was very disappointed in the wine. Let alone the price of $ 90 plus dollars

World class winery with an incredible dedication to high quality chardonnay and pinot noir. To this day the best pinot noir I have ever tasted. Absolutely gorgeous views and exceptionally knowledgeable staff. On the pricier side but worth every penny. Savor a piece of Sonoma winemaking history and pay a visit to Hanzell. You won’t regret it.

Beautiful vineyard up in the hills, enchanting feeling. We did the «Heritage» tasting tour, and the whole experience was excellent. We were greeted by Zakk upon arrival, and he was very informative about the history of the place and the winery. The tour was well paced and we finished by tasting their wines in a cozy room. As expected, proper Riedel glassware. The wines were gorgeous, very Burgundian in style. A.

Picking a winery to tour and swirl is like picking a favorite wine, everyone has their own taste and likings.
If you are looking for a private quaint setting on top of a Sonoma hill, with a rustic unpretentious winery that does just a few things, but does them masterfully. Hanzell is the place to be. Upon securing reservation for a party of 3 on a beautiful Sunday morning, we arrived at the winery, reclusely located at the end of a road behind the gates that opens on a per visitor basis. From the moment when the gates slowly opens for you, you feel transposed to the countryside of France, leaving whatever other worldly concerns behind.
The view at the top is absolutely stunning. There is no words to describe the fantastic waves of colors that’s comprised solely of grape vines. Chardonnay and Pinot noir are the signatures of this winery, as they boast the oldest continuously producing chardonnay vineyard and the oldest pinot noir vineyard in North America. Our estate educator/​guide/​photographer met us at the bottom of the charming heritage house, she then ushered us around the vineyard, cellar, production, and the wine library, citing history of the vineyard as well as tremendously interesting facts about the production process. Before we headed up to upper floor of the heritage house for our private session of wine tasting. Three pours of 2 chardonnay and one pinot noir, she talked us through the different wines and let us savor from one to the other and back. The fragrance of the pinot noir is amazing.
It was a fantastic experience and quite the contrast from the imposing castle/​touristy experience I had at Napa last year. As a family, I definitely prefered this one more for its wonderful elegance and privacy.

First, the landscape is beautiful! The tour was impressive — not just a quick overview of the history and grapes, but a ride along their vast mountain top followed by a foot tour of their grounds. That, by far, was the best part of the visit.
The tasting was OK at best. I personally am not a fan when the tour lead/​guide sits with you at the tasting. It felt forced and awkward, even though we all liked our tour lead.
The wines were… our least favorite of our Sonoma trip. I felt our tasting was made of primarily cheaper wines that fell flat. The whites were super oaky and the reds were very thin. We did not purchase, nor do I think I would if I saw it in a store or restaurant.

My boyfriend and I managed to get a reservation the day before we arrived in Sonoma, and I’m so glad we did. Our 3:00 tour leader, Dawn, was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the history of the winery — from the first owner to the current family who runs the place to the grape varietals and the environment they thrive in. Not only could she rattle off many facts about Hanzell; she also seemed genuinely happy to share the winery with us.
Dawn the beautiful grounds off in a Range Rover because the weather was just shy of 100 degrees. We toured the vines, the outdoor facilities, the barrel aging cellars, and the library, where she poured us two tasty samples of chardonnay and one of pinot noir and showed us their oldest bottle (1965!).
I was impressed by the reverence for wine that permeates Hanzell and would recommend the tour to anyone with a real appreciation for enology.

I keep a «wish list» in Evernote sorted by region and varietal and Hanzell Chardonnay has always been towards the top of the list. When planning winery visits for our recent trip, I wanted something unique and intimate and Hanzell absolutely delivered.
The drive up to the winery takes you up some narrow, winding roads which were so fun to drive (although be respectful when driving through the residential part). There is a private gate that opens for you when you pull up and you’ll be greeted at your car when you park and given a bottle of water.
Our tour guide for the morning was Alaina, who showed us around the vineyards in a Range Rover and let us taste some of the grapes still on the vines. Since Hanzell is located on the side of the Mayacamas Mountain Range, the views you’ll see up there are absolutely breathtaking. Make sure you bring your camera!
Since it was just my girlfriend and I, Alaina let us ask all the questions we wanted and took plenty of pictures of us. Our Instagram followers were very pleased.
We got to check out the wine cave and also the wine-​making equipment before going to a small private room back in the main house. On tasting were the Sebella Chardonnay (their more affordable offering), as well as their flagship Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were absolutely knockouts. I can honestly say the best of each varietal I’ve tried thus far. Alaina also offered us refills which is almost unheard of at a tasting for $ 80-​$ 100 bottles.
If you buy 3 bottles, they will waive one of the tour charges ($ 65). If you live in the East Coast, they have a distribution center in New York and offer overnight shipping if you just can’t wait.
Their wine club is a good deal, priced at 15% off and you get a 50% discount on shipping. You can choose 6 bottles of chardonnay and 6 bottles of pinot noir, or make them 12 bottles of one varietal. Wine club members have access to special offerings as well as free tastings at future visits to the winery.
Trivia: Hanzell’s President, Jason Jardine, previously worked at Flowers, another great Sonoma winery known for their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
If you’re looking for a memorable winery visit during you stay in wine country, you absolutely must check out Hanzell. All of these 5 star reviews don’t lie. We will definitely be back next summer.

We kicked off a sisters’ weekend in Sonoma with a visit to Hanzell Vineyards. Our wonderful innkeeper (review to follow of Bella Casa bed & breakfast) suggested several spots to visit in the area and this vineyard was one of them. After a bit of of additional research, it seemed like the most picturesque, informative and quality tours and tastings in the area. So we booked a tour for two.
Due to a delayed flight, traffic and issues with the car rental, we arrived about 20 minutes late for our schedule group tour. The tour was non-​refundable and happened to be the last one in the day, so we were quite worried that we were going to miss out. However, once we arrived up the hill to this beautiful vineyard, our wine expert and tour guide greeted us at our car and was incredibly calm and welcoming. His great attitude put us at ease and set the mood for a wonderful evening. He informed us that he would be giving us a private tour since the rest of the group had already started theirs. What?! How awesome– I guess it paid to be late in this case!
My sister and I were guided through a cooled underground cellar and outdoor machinery where we learned all about the various wine barrels, the intricate storage process, the science of aging techniques and the manufacturing process. We ended the tour with a a tasting in the gorgeous library. Cold? They have a colorful buffet of pashminas to wear will you sip. About 4 wines– all of them tasty, and unique and refreshing. We went home with a bottle of red — name I can’t recall– for about $ 100. A little pricey for what we normally spend on a bottle but we enjoyed it thoroughly. Great times– and this vineyard made our experience exceptionally special. We will definitely be back.

Just about the rudest most terrible wine tasting experience we’ve had in our lives. I’m local, so we make regular trips up to the wine country, but only at Hanzell were we poured a bunch of wines that even the tour guide admitted weren’t drinkable yet. Why are you pouring them? They tasted like lemon juice. Of the 4 of us, NONE of us finished a single pour they were so terrible. When I requested a 50% refund, they obliged only after we explained, and then proceed to passive aggressively insult us and our taste in wine!

we were greeted at our car upon parking and treated to a 1.5+ hour tour of the vineyard and cellar. While we aren’t wine experts our tour guide was clearly very knowledgable and let us ask a million questions! The grounds are quiet and beautiful, and even offer a view of San Francisco far far away!
The tasting room was very elegant. We enjoyed some lovely conversation with the tour guide while we tasted. The wines were beautiful, though a bit out of the price range of the average amateur Sonoma visitor (75 – 98 a bottle). That said, this is absolutely worth the pricier tour and tasting fee because you get a much more intimate experience and there is so much history here!

This is the way winery tastings should be. Personally guided on a tour with only your group. The wine is very good. The setting is astounding. I prefer that everyone pays for more than the usual for this tour, which keeps it from being a rowdy, belly-​up-​to-​the –bar style of tasting. They allow you time to focus on the wine. I agree with the other Unilocalers that it’s for people who really want the wine experience.

History… class…views…hauntingly beautiful wines. To make a long story short, I’m now an Ambassador member. I love so many things about Hanzell (pronounced like its rhymes with Manziel, as in Johnny Football). The wine cave is so awesome to walk through with its overwhelming smell of fermented grapes. The tour starts with a ride through the vineyards in a Rover. Nuff said. I was sold when I found out that these vines are the oldest continually producing vines in the Western Hemisphere! I also really like that they only grow two grapes. (Chard y Pinot) This shows focus… and I like focus when it comes to wine. Simply put, this is a must visit if you are in wine country!

One of my wine-​passionate colleagues is a Hanzell ambassador and insisted on setting my friend and I up for a tour/​tasting during our trip to Sonoma. What a treat! I’m so thankful he did because we had a wonderful experience! The tours are by appointment only, and they are private so they’re pretty perfect for anyone seeking a more intimate or romantic atmosphere.
The winding road to reach Hanzell is long, so when you reach the top the views are incredible. We arrived a bit early, but our host Ben was very gracious and soon we were walking the vineyard, learning about the oldest pinot noir vines in the country. He also took us offroading to see the rest of the grounds, and give us some more history. I was particularly taken with their French farmhouse, complete with purple flowers cascading down the side. Flawless. We did a quick walk through their wine cave, got to check out where they make and bottle the wine, then settled into the library for a tasting.
He set out three glasses for us — two chardonnay, one pinot noir. They were all fantastic (of course) and my friend bought a bottle of chardonnay to take with us. He even gave us some really good recommendations for lunch and other worthwhile wineries before we set off. I definitely hope to visit again in the future. Thanks Hanzell!

I seem to compare any and all Chardonnays I taste to theirs. Don’t think I’ve found one I like better.
I love the view from up here, and the personal, intimate tour of the winery and vineyards. (Our guide (Zack) was cool.) I also thought it was cute that one of the ground’s cats kept following us around. The tasting room is cozy, and I enjoyed learning about the history of this winery and family. My brother invited me to join this tour so I didn’t have to pay, but I think the personalized and off-​the-​beaten-​wine-​trail experience is worth it, if you’re interested in that sort of thing.

Oldest Chardonnay vines in the state and some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines on the mountain too. Unique history, unique terroir and incredibly age worthy wines.
Not for the wine novice nor the tourist– That’s why there’s a castle in Napa–
A premium and exclusive experience highlighted with tons of relevant history so make this your first stop if you can get in.
Trust me, you’ll only share Hanzell wines with your Very best friends!

The staff was extremely friendly and the grounds were breathtaking. If you like a Burgundian Pinot then this is your place. These pinot will cellar for decades. However, if you want a laid back Sonoma winery this might not be for you. Tastings are one on one and $ 45 a person to taste through 3 wines. All in all, it was a pleasant experience with a great view.

If you love French-​style Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, you’ll enjoy their wines as these are the only two types of wine they produce. They are good to drink now, but they are more of collector wines to keep around. We made reservations in advance as they are by appointment only ($ 45 per person). Give yourself some extra time to get up here as you do drive up a private hilly road.
We were greeted by our Estate Educator, Gary who was very friendly and knowledgeable. It was only my husband and I so it was nice to have a private tour. He drove us to the various vineyards and explained the different climates at each as well as the history behind the Hanzell name. It was very informative. The caves and the bottling area was nice and clean. Apparently, they do everything on site here including bottling and labeling, which I thought was pretty impressive. In the end, we got to sit in a nice wine room with a Sonoma view (which was the barn that was originally used to bottle wines) for some tasting. The room was filled with a collection of vintage wines hanging on the walls. We got to try the following:
— 2011 «Sebella» Chardonnay — citrus aromas, still young so good summer wine
— 2010 Chardonnay — my favorite of the 3 tastings, smooth French style chardonnay, easy to drink, good to drink now or can keep for 10 years
— 2006 Pinot Noir — fine tannins, nice sophisticated finish
We happily left with a bottle of the 2010 Chardonnay. Hope to visit them again in the future.

Hanzell was the PERFECT PLACE to visit on our one-​year wedding anniversary. We knew just from fellow Unilocalers and the website that this place was beautiful and unique but pictures just can’t do this location justice! We visited several vineyards during our stay in Sonoma and Hanzell blew them all out of the water.
Our Estate Educator, Zakk Murphy greeted us as we drove up the winding pathway to vineyard. Our entire Hanzell visit was intimate, warm, educational and overall just incredibly relaxing. I can’t say enough good things about this view from the top of a hill. I would come back hear in a heartbeat. Oh yeah, the wine’s great too!
Thank you Zakk and Hanzell for a wonderful visit in a wonderful place.
See some of my pics here:
And if you’re interested, here’s what the conceirge’s email looked like once I confirmed our visit:
Dear Yanira & Bob,
This message is to confirm your upcoming visit to Hanzell Vineyards, which begins at 10:00 a.m. We look forward to greeting you! Hanzell Vineyards is a private estate winery and we receive guests by appointment only and appreciate you contacting us to book your appointment.
Your Heritage Winery & Estate Vineyards tour and tasting is confirmed as follows:
DATE: Sunday, November 4, 2012
TIME: 10:00 a.m. Please allow 90 minutes for your visit
GUEST (s): 2
You will be greeted by our Estate Educator, Zakk Murphy.
As our tours are by appointment only, we do have a 24 hour cancellation policy. If you are not able to come as scheduled, please call us prior to the day of your appointment.
Getting to Hanzell Vineyards
Coming from the Golden Gate Bridge
22 miles on Highway 101 North to Highway 37 East
8 miles on Highway 37 East to left on Highway ¹²¹⁄₁₁₆ North to Sonoma
8 miles on Highway ¹²¹⁄₁₁₆ North (straight at the stop sign to 116, do not veer right to continue on 121 to Napa)
Veer slight right onto Arnold Drive for 3 miles (If you don’t veer to the right onto Arnold, you will end up on Stage Gulch Road heading towards Petaluma).
Right on Verano Avenue for 1 mile
Left on Lomita Avenue
Continue 1 mile on Lomita through pillars and onto a paved road. Follow Hanzell signs.
From Napa/​Oakville/​Yountville/​Rutherford/​St. Helena/​Calistoga
South on Highway 29
West on Highway ¹²⁄₁₂₁ toward Sonoma for 5 miles
Right on Napa Road (leaving Highway ¹²⁄₁₂₁)
4 miles on Napa Road into Sonoma
Right on 5^th Street West (not East)
1 mile on 5^th Street West and left on Verano Avenue
½ mile on Verano Avenue and right onto Lomita Avenue
Continue 1 mile on Lomita through pillars and onto a paved road. Follow Hanzell signs.
From Healdsburg/​Santa Rosa/​Windsor
South on Highway 101 exit College Ave in Santa Rosa
¾ mile on College Avenue and left on 4^th Street
19 miles on 4^th Street (it becomes Sonoma Highway/​Highway 12 East)
Left on Verano Avenue (traffic light with McDonald’s on right)
First left on Lomita Avenue
Continue 1 mile on Lomita through pillars and onto a paved road. Follow Hanzell signs.
We are located at 18 596 Lomita Avenue, tucked away in the Mayacamas Mountain Range above the town of Sonoma. Your drive on Lomita Avenue will take you through a residential neighborhood and through a set of stone pillars. Continue on this one lane road and stay to the right as the road veers uphill. Follow Lomita until you reach the fork in the road, and turn right towards our iron gate with the Hanzell sign. The gate will open automatically when your vehicle is within two feet. From the gate, you will wind up the one lane road approximately one mile until you veer left, when the iconic Heritage Winery is within your view.
For your convenience, you may also click one of the following links for directions. Google map or Yahoo map.
We kindly request that you drive slowly past our neighbors on Lomita Avenue and on the private road to the winery. Please keep an eye out for oncoming vehicles, children and cats, who may occasionally cross your path. Thank you in advance for your safety.
This email address is not regularly monitored Monday through Friday so kindly reply to all in this email or email
. If you have any questions, please contact us 707.996.3860. We look forward to your visit!
Cheers,
Annalisa Delapaz
Concierge
Hanzell Vineyards
18 596 Lomita Avenue
Sonoma, CA 95 746
Phone: 707−996−3860
Fax: 707−996−3862

I came across nothing but stellar reviews and they are certainly warranted… and then some! The stunning view of the vineyards, Mt. Diablo and even as far as San Francisco on the drive up was itself worth a thousand words. Upon arriving, my friends and I were warmly greeted by the staff including Ben, who would be our guide and host for the afternoon.
We made our way around the premises and ultimately arrived in the library where we had our glasses, wines and written materials beautifully laid out. The Chardonnays and Pinot Noir were absolutely outstanding with the latter evolving gracefully as it had a chance to breathe further and further throughout the tasting. Ben is one of the most amiable and knowledgeable hosts I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and, suffice it to say, I can’t wait until my next visit!

Out of the 5 vineyards I toured, this was by far the best. The hike is incredible, very exclusive, you have to make an appointment for a tour. I suggest you drive, do not try to bike there!
Once atop, the view is spectacular, the tour guides are very knowledgeable, the cave is beautiful. The library that contained collections of wine was amazing, I can’t wait to get my hand on one of those collectibles. The wine was delicious, absolutely worth the price of the tour.