Wednesday, April 21, 2010
HIll Family Estate 2009 Sauvignon Blanc

About Hill Family Estate
Hill Family Estate creates wines as rich in character and complexity as the skill and expertise of the vintner. Doug Hill's passion has been to create a wine that captivates the palate, and is as impressive as the quality vineyards of the Napa Valley he has grown to appreciate over the last twenty-five years. Doug's vast vineyard management experience provides an in-depth appreciation for the patience required to harvest excellence. Doug's patience has resulted in the opportune time for the release of Hill Family Estate wines.
Doug and Darci's children now bring a growing passion for quality
wines which have been a part of the Hill Family heritage. Ryan brings an
enthusiasm for food and wine and the experience he has gained working
in restaurants which gives him a better understanding of consumer
expectations.
In 1984, Doug Hill planted his first
vineyards in the Napa Valley; 13 acres in Carneros that would be named,
Beau Terre Vineyard (“beautiful land”). Recognizing the exceptional
nature of the soil, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were initially planted and
today continue to be produced for wineries including the esteemed,
Mumm.
Over the last three decades, our Estate
vineyards have expanded to a total of 11 unique vineyards, totaling over
250 acres. Each with its own distinctive qualities, the one common
element shared across our vineyards is our commitment to unfailing
exploration and experimentation. From our mountain vineyards where we
produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese for honored wineries
like Silver Oak, Stags Leap and Duckhorn, to those across the Valley
floor where we grow sought after Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino, Muscat
Cannelli, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, our pursuit
for perfection is what makes our profession our true passion.
Hill Family Estate Winemaker
Alison Green Doran is winemaker for Hill
Family Estate. Her patient attitude and multitude of experience allows
the best characteristics of the grapes the winery produces to be encapsulated in
the bottle. Raised in Palos Verdes with plenty of horses and surfing,
Alison was drawn into winemaking in 1973. Her father, an oil man and
long time Alexander Valley vineyard owner Russell Green, had bought the
Simi Winery in 1969 and brought in Andre Tchelistcheff as a consultant
soon after.
By working as a harvest intern beside Andre for 6 months at Simi in
1973, Alison found both her life's work and her mentor. Andre found her a
5 month Stagaire position in Alsace for the crush of 1975 and then an
enologist position with start-up Hoffman Mountain Ranch in Paso Robles. After finishing her Fermentation Science degree at UC Davis, she
began working for the Firestone Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley in
1976. Starting as lab tech, she worked her way to bottling supervisor
and then to cellar master and then in 1981, to winemaker. With the
pioneering spirit of the Firestone Family, their commitment to quality
and the ideal climate and soils around the vineyard, many award winning
wines were made. The Firestones' generosity and balanced life style made
for a special and stable platform for understanding the long term
influences of vineyard management on winemaking. Alison became well
acquanited with how to pull maximum potential for wine quality from a
vineyard site. Alison married Mark Doran in 1994 and now has two young sons. She
left the Firestone Vineyard in 2000, moving back to the family ranch and
vineyard in Alexander Valley. She now has several select clients who
want to approach site specific winemaking with exuberance and intensity.
Winery: Nose has a light vanilla character, spiked with
celery from the Semillon. Also wafting through are elder flower and
pink grapefruit notes. Palate is full and rich, with savory texture and a
classic musque nectarine flavor. Finish is remarkably smooth for such a
young wine. The wine should continue to grow and coalesce, as this
tasting is only 3 weeks after bottling.
CellarThief Translation: You can't beat a patio on a spring evening - the mosquitoes haven't hit yet and it isn't hot enough that you have to peel your legs off your sweaty plastic chairs. But, there is another reason why you can't beat a patio on a spring evening - because sitting outside is a perfect pairing to a top-notch Sauvignon Blanc and some simple and fresh nibbles. This wine will be a great friend to your spring evenings - it is hefty while still being lively, has those big aromas that make you want to sip and savor and finishes with a pop that gets your appetite rolling.
Hill Family Estate Location
Hill Family Estate is located in the heart of Napa Valley with its tasting room located just off of Highway 29 in Yountville.
Hill Family Estate Website
- Cellar Thief - Wednesday, April 21, 2010
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