Sometimes we forget that before the judgement of Paris, before the cult Cabernets of Napa, and before the modern California wine boom, there was Hanzell. Founded in 1953 by Ambassador James Zellerbach after a transformative stint in Europe, this estate was built with a singular, audacious goal: to produce Burgundian-style wines on the slopes of Sonoma that could rival the finest Grand Crus of the Côte d'Or. Walking through the vineyard today, you are walking through living history, past the oldest continuously producing Chardonnay vines in the Western Hemisphere.

The 2021 Hanzell Estate Chardonnay is a stunning reminder of why this property is revered. It comes from the Moon Mountain District, a high-elevation site with volcanic soils that impart a distinct, stony rigor to the wine. This is not the tropical, butter-laden style of Chardonnay that became a cliché of the region in the 1990s. Instead, it is a wine of structure and profound energy. The nose opens with a complex bouquet of lemon confit, chamomile, and crushed rock, followed by a palate that is tense, vertical, and incredibly precise.

What sets Hanzell apart is its legendary ability to age. While most New World white wines are destined to be consumed within a few years of release, Hanzell Chardonnays are built with the constitution of a red wine. It is not uncommon for bottles from the 1970s and 80s to still be singing today, having shed their baby fat to reveal layers of marzipan, beeswax, and savory spice. The 2021 vintage, with its cool-climate tension and perfect physiological ripeness, is a prime candidate for the cellar, destined to evolve beautifully for decades. If you made it to our anniversary party last night and had a taste of the 1997 Chardonnay that we opened (not a Hanzell, unfortunately), you have some inkling of where this wine is heading. 

But to be clear: the Hanzell promises far more than last night’s Chardonnay. This is a wine designed with longevity in mind. The winemaking here has changed little over the last half-century, relying on a careful regimen of French oak and stainless steel aging to polish the wine without suffocating it. It is a wine of great presence, demanding attention both for its structure and intensity, and also for the great history that it bears. 

Hanzell Sonoma Valley Chardonnay Estate 2021 - $49.99