Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Hill Family Estate 2008 Carly's Cuvee Chardonnay

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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, the 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 the vineyards is a commitment to unfailing exploration and experimentation. From the mountain vineyards where the winery 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.

Hill Family Estate Barrel Blend Tasting Notes

Winery: The 2008 Hill Family Estate Chardonnay, Carly’s Cuvee, came from a selection of vineyards in the southern end of the Napa Valley and included hillside fruit from the Atlas Peak Appellation. Blended with 4% Viognier, the wine is rich and aromatic, with distinct pear and pineapple flavor, and a healthy dose of spicy oak in the finish.

CellarThief Translation
: You should know by now - we dig wines that have character. Yep, there are a lot of Chardonnays out there, so we like to seek out those that have something a bit unique, something a bit different, something that....makes you go "holy hot dang" in the middle of a crowded restaurant and turns your date a bright shade of embarrassed red. This Hill Family fits the bill - it is definitely a Chardonnay, but the fruit is a bit more exotic and the oak is strong and deliciously spicy. The wine bursts out of the glass from start to finish and will leave you beggin' for more.

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

http://www.hillfamilyestate.com