Our final stop on our amazing Russian River day
with Raymond Rolander of Wine Cube Tours was Hartford Family Winery!
Specializing in Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir,
Chardonnay, and Old Vine Zinfandel, Hartford Family Winery is a family–owned
winery also located in Forestville within (surprise, surprise) the Russian
River AVA. Hartford Family Winery has received many accolades throughout the years including being named one of
the Top Wineries of 2010 by Wine & Spirits magazine.
 |
| Winemaker Jeff Stewart |
Located 15 miles from the Pacific Coast, Hartford
Family Winery was founded in 1994 by Don and Jennifer Hartford's appreciation
for the wines, the people, and the unique vineyards near their Russian River
Valley home. Don Hartford grew up
on a small strawberry farm in western Massachusetts, and later attended the
University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Don Hartford met his wife, Jennifer Jackson-Hartford in 1979, while at
Santa Clara University in Northern California while pursuing a law degree (shortly
thereafter, Jennifer's father, Jess, started a modest 16,000 case winery called
Kendall-Jackson).
The
Hartford’s belief, as stewarded by winemaker Jeff Stewart, is making delicious wines of high personality is directly
related to the difficult locations of their vineyard sources, the limited
production of their bottlings, and the varietals they use. "Character through adversity"
is an expression that Don and Jenny believe applies to people and grapevines
and surviving adversity builds character, and personality, in both.
Several
of their established vineyards are not irrigated (they feel over-watering of
vines produces more crop but dilutes flavors). Also, most of their vineyard’s vines are tightly space (as
tight spacing encourages competition among vines, promotes smaller cluster and
berry size, and accentuates the intensity of their wines). The result of these small and
low-yielding vineyards that deliver meager amounts is expressive and
personality-rich wine. Their
single-vineyard Hartford Court Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays total as few as 93
cases up to about 800 cases.
The
Hartford’s love Pinot Noir and in many years make about ten of them with fruit
from the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Green Valley, Carneros, Anderson
Valley, and Marin appellations.
Hartford Family Winery believes that Pinot Noir makes “the most
seductive red wine, notable for its supple, silky texture.” In their opinion, Pinot Noir is one of
the best grapes for expressing vineyard site characteristics in a transparent
manner.
And Kelly and I are in agreeance as both our
favorite Hartford Family Wines were their onion like layered Pinot Noirs: Hailey’s
Block (named after Don and Jennifer Hartford’s daughter) and Jennifer’s Block
Green Valley of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2010.
2010
Hartfort Court Hailey's Block Pinot Noir ($65) is bright ruby
red in color with flavors of raspberry, cherry, and baking spice that bloom
into a bouquet as the wine breaths.
The finish on this Pinot Noir is straight down the middle of the
ballpark: the perfect balance of spice and structure.
2010
Hartford Court Jennifer's Pinot Noir ($70, but
unfortunately it’s completely Sold Out) received 93 points from International
Wine Cellar. With bright hues and
a nose of black raspberry, rose oil, allspice, and soda pop its definitely a
wine you won’t forget. The palate
displays flavors of cherries and berries without having either of those fruits
scream in your face. It finishes
with an energy that both zips and zaps.
So on their classic outdoor patio with a
welcoming fountain, Hartford Family Wines was the perfect place to finish our
tour of the Russian River Valley; surrounded on all sides by hills and dales
all covered with grapes just itching to evolve into a spectrum of wines.
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