A New Era For HANZELL

Director of winemaking JASON JARDINE innovates at this historic Sonoma estate 

- JAMES MOLESWORTH

When you think of Sonoma's Hanzell Vineyards, the word "new" doesn't typically come to mind.

Hanzell's storied history traces back to 1953, when its vineyards were first planted. Winemaker Brad Webb came aboard in 1956 and then handed the reins in 1973 to Bob Sessions, who manned the estate for nearly 30 years, until retiring in 2001. Under Sessions' watch, Hanzell became synonymous with ageworthy, mineral-driven Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Bowing to tradition and continuity, Hanzell changed little after he left.

Along the way there was the discovery of TCA taint in the winery's cellar, but the owners the de Brye family-and Sessions' wife, Jean Arnold, attacked the problem head on, building a new facility and relaunching the wines after a brief hiatus from the market. The last replanting on the property was in the early 2000s, and today the vineyard base remains essentially unchanged, including a stunning amphitheater of terraced vines from the original 1953 plantings that sits below the old stone winery.

Enter Jason Jardine in 2014. Jardine cut his teeth on Pinot Noir in California, helping to launch Alesia and Rhys as winemaker before heading to Flowers. After a year at Clos du Val, where he helped them to restructure, he was offered the position of president and director of winemaking at Hanzell. Familiar with the estate, Jardine felt the weight of tradition as he assumed the role.

"This place was so much about Bob," Jardine says. "He was the soul and he was the wines. That's an amazing connection to have. I was very hesitant to change anything regarding wine-making after 60 years of a continuous style. So first, anything that has been done here is not me, but a team effort. And second, the idea was to slowly and methodically put things in place that could perhaps add more of a sense of place to the wine."