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Walter Hansel
Walter Hansel 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County
$ 18.99
A fantastic new Sauvignon Blanc and one of the best in California we've found this year!
Fresh pineapple, passion fruit, pink grapefruit, cream and liquid mineral are present and rich in the Walter Hansel 2017 Sauvignon Blanc. Excellent balalnce and acidity. Fans of Rochioli and Duckhorn will rejoice over the great quality and price of this wine. The fruit for this wine is grown on our Vineyard Manager's property in Lake County. We select the vineyard section and specific vines based on cluster size, weight and ripeness. Notes of melon, fig and pears create a creamy undercurrent; the vibrant acidity will make it food friendly with a variety of dishes.
Walter Hansel was a lifelong wine enthusiast who had the vision to plant his estate's original 250 vines in 1978. Today, Stephen, Walter's son, has taken up where his father left off, pursuing his vision of producing world-class Burgundian-styled Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, all from the Russian River Valley. Steve Hansel's friend, famed winemaker Tom Rochioli, helped him in the early stages of his wine education by inviting him to work a couple of harvests at the Rochioli vineyards. Steve performed his first solo attempt in 1996 out of his garage.
Walter Hansel 2017 Estate Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
$ 24.99
93 Points - New Release
Another great chardonnay release from Walter Hansel. Limited.
93 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2017 Chardonnay The Estate Vineyard is fabulous, and also one of the very finest values in California wine. In 2017, I am especially impressed by the wine's energy and tension, both of which are remarkable given the hot, dry conditions that marked so much of the year. Dried apricot, flowers and mint are all nicely delineated in this vibrant, super-expressive Chardonnay from Hansel."
Robert Parker: "...The Hansel wines capture the essence of the Russian River in their exuberant, forward personalities. In my view, the Chardonnays are reference points for what Wente clone Chardonnay is all about. Quality is high across the board and pricing remains incredibly consumer friendly throughout the range, making these some of the most delicious and compelling Sonoma wines readers will come across."
Walter Hansel 2017 'Cahill Lane' Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
$ 31.99
95 points - new release
Walter Hansel's Cahill Lane (uses the same the Old Wente clone as Cuvee Alyce Chardonnay) is a beautiful, hand-crafted 100% Chardonnay from one of our favorite boutique producers down the road from Kistler. Limited.
93+ points Antonio Galloni: "The 2017 Chardonnay Cahill Lane Vineyard brings together many of the qualities that make Stephen Hansel's wines so appealing. Vibrant and also vertical in its construction, the Cahill Lane is a rare 2017 that needs time to soften, as today it is quite dominated by structure."
91+ Points Robert Parker: "The 2017 Chardonnay Cahill Lane, from Wente clone vines, features white peach, Bosc pear, gun flint hints and rocky notes with toasty and citrus character. The palate is light to medium-bodied and lightly creamy in texture with concentrated citrus fruits, juicy freshness and a long, saline finish. This feels a bit closed down at the moment....
...This is an enviable winery run by Stephen Hansel with exceptionally high-quality Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs that he sells at modest prices, which speaks to his humility and commitment to serious wine consumers. There are more than 80 acres of estate, so it is not small, split evenly between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He breaks the cuvées down by their vineyard terroir/site."
Walter Hansel 2017 The North Slope Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
$ 34.99
92 Points
The 2017 North Slope Chardonnay is another great chardonnay release from Walter Hansel. Limited.
92 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2017 Chardonnay The North Slope Vineyard is another super-expressive wine in the range. In this tasting, the North Slope is oily and beautifully textured, with striking resonance and exceptional balance. It is especially viscous in 2017, and it's a style that works beautifully. This silky, creamy Chardonnay should drink well with minimal cellaring."
...The Hansel wines capture the essence of the Russian River in their exuberant, forward personalities. In my view, the Chardonnays are reference points for what Wente clone Chardonnay is all about. Quality is high across the board and pricing remains incredibly consumer friendly throughout the range, making these some of the most delicious and compelling Sonoma wines readers will come across."
Walter Hansel 2017 'Cuvee Alyce' Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
$ 36.00
95 points - new release
Walter Hansel's Cuvee Alyce Chardonnay is a beautiful, hand-crafted 100% Chardonnay from one of our favorite boutique producers down the road from Kistler. Limited.
94 points Antonio Galloni: "The 2017 Chardonnay Cuvée Alyce is dense, powerful and creamy, delivering tremendous textural richness and resonance. Apricot, orchard fruit, dried flowers, chamomile and mint all flesh out in this deep, beautifully layered Chardonnay."
Robert Parker: "...This is an enviable winery run by Stephen Hansel with exceptionally high-quality Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs that he sells at modest prices, which speaks to his humility and commitment to serious wine consumers. There are more than 80 acres of estate, so it is not small, split evenly between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He breaks the cuvées down by their vineyard terroir/site."
Walter Hansel 2016 Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
$ 39.00
Walter Hansel's Estate Pinot Noir is a beautiful, hand-crafted wine from one of our favorite boutique producers down the road from Kistler. Only made 300 cases produced. Limited.
91 Points Robert Parker: "Pale ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir Estate has amazingly pure notions of crushed cranberries, Bing cherries and redcurrants with touches of garrigue, tilled soil and bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers bags of crunchy red berry flavors and a lovely satiny texture with a very long, lively finish. 896 cases produced...
...Some of the best values in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir emerge from Stephen Hansel’s winery in the Russian River Valley. He also has the wonderful Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro on Guerneville Road in Santa Rosa.
Walter Hansel 2016 South Slope Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
$ 41.99
95 Points
Another beautiful small-production Pinot Noir from Walter Hansel who continues to make a small amount of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay down the road from Kistler, at unbelievably sane prices. Stock up while available.
93+ Points Robert Parker: "Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2016 Pinot Noir South Slope displays a very fruity nose of crushed blackberries and raspberries with delicate hints of smoked meats, tar and dusty soil with a waft of red roses. Medium-bodied, tightly wound and with a very lively line of acid, it has a firm, grainy texture and long mineral-laced finish...
...This is an enviable winery run by Stephen Hansel with exceptionally high-quality Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs that he sells at modest prices, which speaks to his humility and commitment to serious wine consumers. There are more than 80 acres of estate, so it is not small, split evenly between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He breaks the cuvées down by their vineyard terroir/site"
Walter Hansel 2017 'Cahill Lane' Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
$ 42.00
93 Points
Another beautiful small-production Pinot Noir from Walter Hansel who continues to make a small amount of Pinot Noir down the road from Kistler, at unbelievably sane prices. As a result they always sell out quickly. Stock up while it's available.
93 Points Robert Parker: "Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Pinot Noir Cahill Lane has a broody nose of sliced blueberry, black cherry and warm blackberries with cinnamon, nutmeg, tree bark and amaro accents plus crushed red cherries, raspberry jam, warm strawberries and dried flowers. Medium-bodied and silky, it fans out in the mouth with lush, concentrated fruits and tons and tons of spicy and earthy accents, with a firm frame of grainy tannins and very juicy acidity, finishing very long and layered. 750 cases produced....
...“Pricing is important to me,” says Steven Hansel. “In the marketplace, most people treat wine like a commodity—if people are willing to pay $100, that’s what it’s sold for—without any relation to what it actually costs to make. If we’re going to get young people to drink wine, they can’t pay those prices. I believe young people would like to enjoy wine, but they don’t have the resources. So, why are we raising prices? If we charge too much, they’ll buy tequila or something else—and then we’re all out of a job.” An astute observation. The Hansel wines, besides being delicious, provide excellent value. Bravo!"
Walter Hansel 2017 'North Slope' Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
$ 45.00
94 Points
Another beautiful small-production Pinot Noir from Walter Hansel who continues to make a small amount of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay down the road from Kistler, at unbelievably sane prices. Stock up while available.
94 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2017 Pinot Noir The North Slope Vineyard is one of the more voluptuous, racy wines in this range. Ample and creamy, with tremendous resonance, the 2017 has a lot to offer. Plush fruit and silky tannins add to the wine's considerable immediacy and overall appeal."
Robert Parker: "...Some of the best values in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir emerge from Stephen Hansel’s winery in the Russian River Valley. All of the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are bottled unfiltered. This is a source for very fine Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs at some of the most realistic prices to be found in Northern California."
Walter Hansel 2017 Cuvee Alyce Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
$ 47.99
94 Points
Another beautiful small-production Pinot Noir from Walter Hansel who continues to make a small amount of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay down the road from Kistler, at unbelievably sane prices. Limited.
94 Points Robert Parker: "The 2017 Pinot Noir Cuvée Alyce is pale to medium ruby-purple with scents of warm cinnamon, spiced cranberry sauce, orange peel, dried roses, tea leaves, warm earth, crushed strawberries, blackberries, saline and woodsmoke—so many layers! It's medium to full-bodied and floods the mouth with warm fruits laced with classy new oak spices. It has a frame of fine, grainy tannins and wonderful juicy freshness, finishing very long and layered. So good! 938 cases produced."
...Some of the best values in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir emerge from Stephen Hansel’s winery in the Russian River Valley. He also has the wonderful Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro on Guerneville Road in Santa Rosa. Hansel reduced the crop size by 20%-30% through crop thinning in 2014 because of irregular berry size and improved the level of concentration. All of the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are bottled unfiltered."
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