2004 Hanna Estate Russian River Valley

Cardiac surgeon Elias Hanna started this estate in 1985 with 12 acres, which have since grown to 252. Brisk and straightforward, this Sauvignon Blanc is a bit rich, with flavors of lemongrass and citrus.

Our Slusser Road vineyard in the cool Russian River Valley is the source for this wine. The vineyard is a divided canopy planted on deep Rocky Clay Loam. This is a low to no irrigation vineyard.

We have returned to estate status this year. Production is up as an additional 15 acres came on line and yields in our oldest blocks rebounded after a meager 2004. This year marks the inclusion of significant amounts of ENTAV clone 317 and the Sauvignon Musque clone. The majority of the vineyard remains planted to clone 1-familiar but very high quality.

A very cool summer following late rains produced an abundant crop. We thinned three times, dropping unprecedented amounts of fruit on the ground. A cool August allowed slow, even ripening. Harvest began on September 7 with our youngest block and ended on October 3 with our oldest. We picked primarily on flavor. This coincided with a brix range of 21.7 to 23.7

Grapes were hand harvested at night using tractors fitted with lights. The cold fruit was picked into half-ton bins and hauled the short distance to the winery at 5 in the morning. We hand sorted the fruit using a custom made sorting conveyor. The fruit was then whole cluster pressed while still cold. A combination of inoculated and indigenous fermentations were used. The Malolactic fermentation was conducted early to prevent development of buttery aromas. The Wine was aged on the yeast lees until a month before bottling.

Our Estate Sauvignon emphasizes citrus fruit in the aromas and mid palate with a finish broadened by malolactic fermentation. The wine is fresh and grassy with distinctive Sauvignon Blanc character