All Wines
"Already in bottle, the 2016 Hartford Court Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyard opens with lemon tart, pink grapefruit, pineapple and ripe apple notes with touches of nutmeg and croissant. Medium to full-bodied, rich and with a pleasantly oily texture, it delivers ripe tropical fruit flavors and a long, creamy finish." - Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, December 2017
"The Highwire Vineyard has 100-year-old vines with half of the parcel being head-trained and half-trained on a high wire, permitting greater sun exposure and promoting more even ripening. It is aged for 12 months in French oak, 43% new, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard offers crushed blackberries and cassis notes with a subtle prune laced undercurrent plus spice box, black soil and potpourri hints. The concentrated, full-bodied palate is densely packed with dried berry and baking spice flavors with plush tannins and a lively lift to the long finish." - Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, April 2017
"The 2015 Zinfandel Jolene's Vineyard comes from another site for century-plus-aged, head-trained bush vines. Aged in 100% French oak, it was to be bottled unfined and unfiltered right after my visit. Inky bluish purple, this wine from a vineyard on Olivet Road has loads of pepper, roasted meats, Provencal herbs and loamy soil undertones unterwoven with blackberry, black cherry liqueur and spice box. It is a pedal-to-the-metal style of wine, with superb richness, a full-bodied unctuosity, but good acidity keeping everything energized and vibrant. Drink it over the next decade." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2016
"The 2014 Stone Côte Vineyard Chardonnay is actually a tiny parcel within the more famous and larger Durell Vineyard. Like most of these wines, indigenous yeast fermentations are encouraged, and the wine is 100% barrel-fermented and aged completely in French oak with the percentage of new oak generally ranging from the upper 30th percentile to 50% or so. This wine is a terrific example of Chardonnay, with a greenish hue to its light straw color and a stunning nose of tropical fruit, citrus oil and orange blossom. It is full-bodied, has great acidity and delicious up-front fruit. This will be a killer Chardonnay when released next year." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October, 2016
"Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Hartford Court Pinot Noir MacLean's Block delivers wild bluberries, black cherries and anise notes with hints of violets, bay leaves and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate features red and black fruit layers accented by earth notions and framed with fine-grained tannins, finishing on a mineral note." - Lisa Perrotti Brown, The Wine Advocate, December 2017
"Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Fog Dance Vineyard gives a full on bombastic black cherry and black raspberry-scented nose with hints of rose hip tea, dark chocolate and lavender with a hint of black pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate is very elegant and fresh with more of a savory/earthy character coming through, supported by fine-grained tannins and finishing on a beautiful stewed tea note." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, December 2017
"The 2015 Zinfandel Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard (another century-old parcel in the Russian River) shows tart acids, tangy red and black cherry fruit, notes of roasted meat, crushed pepper, and briary, zesty, classic Zinfandel flavors that tip the scales at 15.5% natural alcohol. This is big, juicy, succulent Zinfandel with great acid. Drink it over the next decade." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2016
"The 2015 Zinfandel Hartford Vineyard comes from head-trained vines planted over 100 years ago, and the incredibly low-yielding. The wine was aged in 100% French oak, of which 50% is new, and like all these wines, was bottled, unfined and unfiltered. This is a big wine at 15.2% natural alcohol, but there's not a bit of heat to it. Its flamboyant, dramatic aromatics consist of black fruits, red fruits, licorice, roasted herbs, and smoked game. The wine has fabulous fruit on the attack, is full-bodied, and the red and black fruit combo follows through to a long finish of a good 40+ seconds. This is a stunner to drink over the next 6-10 years." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2016
"The 2014 Far Coast Vineyard Chardonnay comes across like a Grand Cru Chevalier-Montrachet from France. Great minerality, loads of citrus oil, apple blossom, white peach and tangerine notes are all present in this wine aged in 35% new French oak. The wine has stunning concentration, a broad, savory palate, and a full body; notes of tropical fruit emerge with further aging. This is another relatively small cuvée of about 12+ barrels of wine, or 310 cases. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2016
Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard has compelling chocolate-covered cherries, raspberry pie and warm mulberries noes with touches of potpourri, Ceylon tea, and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, very finely structured and very fresh, it gives intense blackberry and savory layers, finishing on a lingering earthy note.
- Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, December 2017
Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Muldune Trail features expressive mulberries, stewed red plums and dusty earth notes with touches of garrigue, fresh hay, oolong tea and cloves. Medium-bodied with an appealing chewy grip to the texture, the palate gives compelling savory layers with a long, lively finish.
- Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, December 2017
"This is the the second vintage produced of this wine. Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2015 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Warrior Princess opens with warm, red currants, black cherries and violet notes with touches of black soil, stewed tea, garrigue and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers up a very firm structure of wonderfully ripe, grainy tannins, with a refreshing backbone supporting the intense earthy/savory flavors, finishing long. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, December 2017
"Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Hailey's Block gives up Bing cherry, ripe raspberries and pomegranate notes with touches of baking spices, tree bark and wild thyme. Medium-bodied, very finely crafted and refreshing in the mouth, it has lovely silken-textured tannins framing the vibrant fruit, finishing long." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, December 2017
"As for the 2014 Pinot Noir MacLean’s Block, this emerges from a gentle east-facing slope east of Occidental. Made from clones 67 and 777, the wine is a stunner, with notes of forest floor, white flowers, black cherries and raspberries. The gorgeous fruit follows through on the medium to full-bodied palate with impressive purity, texture and length. This wine should drink nicely young and keep for at least a decade." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2016
The 2014 Pinot Noir Muldune Trail comes from a vineyard at the southern end of the Anderson Valley planted at an elevation of 1,600 feet. Again unfined and unfiltered, this has the dense ruby/plum color that is more saturated than its two predessors and notes of fresh herbs intermixed with wet gravel, blueberry, raspberry and pomegranate. It is a medium-bodied, long, rich and made from Dijon clones 115 and 777. This is a broad, savory, impressive Pinot Noir to drive over the next decade.
- Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2016
Another saturated ruby/purple wine is the 2014 Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard. This comes from a mountain ridge north of Fort Ross at a 1,000-foot elevation. Dense ruby purple, with notes of sassafras, forest floor, red and black cherries, raspberry and underbrush, the wine exhibits medium to full body and terrific texture and length. This is another 10-year Pinot Noir, but should be drinkable during that entire window of opportunity. - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2016
"A real whopper is the 2015 Zinfandel Dina's Vineyard, which comes from vines planted over 100 years ago... There is a touch of Alicante in the blend of Zinfandel. Notes of pen ink, graphite, licorice, creosote, lavender and pepper along with enormous quantities of blackberry and black cherry fruit soar from the glass of this thick, viscous, heavy-duty, pedal-to-the-metal Zinfandel. It is a Mediterranean-tasting wine that could pass for a Southern Rhone from France in a blind tasting. This wine should drink nicely for 8-10 years, if not longer." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2016
"The 2014 Fog Dance Vineyard Chardonnay is from a hillside vineyard in the very cool-climate Green Valley, not far from the little “hippie” town of Forestville. Aged in 38% new French oak, the wine offers a light gold color with a greenish hue, hints of tangerine oil, pineapple, white peach and citrus. This is rich, full-bodied and stunningly proportioned, and much like all the other Chardonnays, the oak is very subtle and nuanced. This is another tour de force in Chardonnay winemaking from winemaker Jeff Stewart." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2015
"The 2012 Zinfandel Jolene's Vineyard (300 cases produced) is a big, blockbuster effort. It possesses an unctuous texture as well as a huge nose of black raspberry, black cherry and floral notes with some charcuterie, roasted meat and brouquet rani in the background. Enjoy this supply, full-throttle red over the next 5-6 years. - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, December 2013
"The 2014 Pinot Noir Jennifer’s is from a vineyard in the so-called Petaluma Wind Gap. This is from the Swiss 123 selection that is known as Wadenswil in Oregon. Very fragrant Volnay-like aromatics of strawberries and cherries are gently touched by some toasty oak. In the mouth, more apple notes emerge from this elegant, dark ruby, medium-bodied Pinot Noir, which seems destined to be consumed over the next 4-6 years." - Robert Parker's, The Wine Advocate, October, 2016
"Dark red cherries, plums, lavender and sweet spices make a hugely positive first impression in the 2013 Jolene's Vineyard Zinfandel. Violets, smoke, mint and darker stone fruits develop in the glass, all supported by veins of bright acidity and tannin, both of which help convey freshness. This old-vine site on Olivet Road confers tons of pure personality."
- Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2015
"From the Sonoma Coast, the 2013 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard (396 cases) emerges from a mountain ridge north of Fort Ross. This cuvée sees about 35% new French oak, and the 2013 clearly shows the tropical fruit side of Chardonnay with lots of pineapple, mango and candied tangerine-like notes. Full-bodied with fabulous fruit intensity as well as purity, super focus, and an underlying liquid minerality that gives it an extra-special character, it should drink well for 10 years." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, December 2014
“Already bottled, the deep garnet-purle colored 2016 Hartford Zinfandel is scented of baked blueberries, stewed plums and kirsch with touches of raspberry leaves, dried herbs, spice box and new leather. Full-bodied, firmly textured and with a lively backbone, it gives a great intensity of blue and black berry preserves, finishing long and spicy.” – Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, December 2017
93 POINTS "Opens with rich, supple fruit that quickly takes on power and depth, offering raspberry, lavender and rosemany notes, with white pepper accents. Tim Fish, Wine Spectator, March 2018
The 2014 Vintage of this wine scored 93 Points from Wine Spectator and was named to their Top Ten Wines of the World List for 2016.
The 2015 Vintage of this wine scored 94 Points from Wine Spectator and was listed as #21 on their Top 100 List for 2017.
"The only 2014 tasted was the early-bottled 2014 Pinot Noir Land’s Edge Vineyards, which comes from a vineyard four miles from the Pacific Ocean. Aged in 32% new French oak, the wine displays raspberry and blueberry fruit, damp earth, fresh porcini mushrooms and plenty of minerality. This is a juicy, tightly knit, but concentrated and promising Pinot Noir that has that forward fruit of this vintage well displayed." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2015
"The 2014 Pinot Noir Marin emerges from that wealthy county on the western side of the Golden Gate Bridge, where few
vineyards are located. Aged 17 months in 37% new French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered, this comes from Dijon clone 828 and offers up the classic Burgundian notes of forest floor, pomegranate, plum, and smoky black cherries and strawberries. A Côte de Nuits-like Pinot Noir that is medium-bodied, but beautifully fruited and savory, it should be drunk it over the next 7-8 years." - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, October 2016
"The 2014 Seascape Vineyard Chardonnay is from one of the coldest vineyards in all of Northern California. On a ridgetop close to the town of Occidental, facing Bodega Bay in the Pacific Ocean, it is often the last to ripen – and sometimes as late as late October or November. A deep golden color, exotic tropical fruits, crushed rocks, and an almost saltiness characterize this rather nutty and strikingly Meursault-like Chardonnay that will be somewhat controversial compared to the more classic aromas and
flavors of the other five offerings, but it is still a brilliant, somewhat idiosyncratic Chardonnay in the lineup of the Hartford Court wines. Drink it over the next 4-5 years." - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, October, 2016
"Freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries, mint and cinnamon are laced together in the 2013 Pinot Noir Marin County. This floral, savory, mid-weight Pinot is an excellent choice for drinking over the next few years." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2015
"The 2014 Pinot Noir Seascape Vineyard is round, polished and seductive, with lovely mid-palate pliancy and plenty of generosity. Spice, new leather and menthol wrap around the inviting finish. Rose petal, savory herbs and mint add the closing layers of nuance." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2016
"True to its Carneros roots, the 2013 Sevens Bench Chardonnay carries the hallmark of the region – fruit intensity balanced by good acidity. The aromas are driven by classic lemon drop, Meyer lemon and a sweet tangerine character. That fruit style follows in the flavors, with the citrus focus carrying through with candied lemon drop balanced by the nice acidity and mineral characters inherent to the region and the clonal selections. Barrel fermentation characters are in the background, adding more complexity to this elegant wine." - Jeff Stewart, Winemaker
"Our 2014 Zinfandel Port exhibits a complex nose of cherry cordial, black fruits interlaced with candied orange zest and anise. Ripe blackberry, black cherry and mocha flavors are framed by nutmeg and ends with a rich sweet finish. To preserve the depth of character and intensity of flavors, this wine was neigher fined nor filtered." - Jeff Stewart, Winemaker
"This alluring and hedonistic wine has amazing extract and purity of fruit focus. Vibrant fruit aromas of black cherry, blueberry, anise and violets harmonize with subtle cinnamon stick notes. The captivating aromas lead into equally vibrant flavors of berries and allspice in this sensuously elegant Pinot Noir." - Jeff Stewart, Winemaker
"True to its Carneros roots, the 2014 Sevens Bench Pinot Noir carries the hallmark of the region – fruit intensity balanced by an earthy and savory side. The aromas open with black cherry and boysenberry and lead into subtle mushroom and spice characters. The flavors are reminiscent of black cherry and Asian spice, with a subtle tea and spice component driven by a small amount of whole-cluster fermentation. The wine finishes with a juiciness and elegant tannins in the finish." - Jeff Stewart, Winemaker
"Black fruits, blonde tobacco and lilac aromas are supported by ripe blueberry and black currant flavors, and tannins that express the wine’s mountaintop sourcing. This dense and spicy Syrah was crafted in a style reminiscent of the great wines of the Northern Rhone Valley." - Jeff Stewart, Winemaker
"True to its Carneros roots, the 2014 Sevens Bench Chardonnay carries the hallmark of the region – fruit intensity balanced by good acidity. The aromas are driven by classic lemon drop, Meyer lemon and a sweet tangerine character. That fruit style follows in the flavors, with the citrus focus carrying through with candied lemon drop balanced by the nice acidity and mineral characters
inherent to the region and the clonal selections. Barrel fermentation characters are in the background, adding more complexity to
this elegant wine." - Jeff Stewart, Winemaker
"True to its Carneros roots, the 2013 Sevens Bench Pinot Noir carries the hallmark of the region – fruit intensity balanced by an earthy and savory side. The aromas open with black cherry and boysenberry and lead into subtle mushroom and spice characters. The flavors are reminiscent of black cherry and Asian spice, with a subtle tea and spice component driven by a small amount of whole-cluster fermentation. The wine finishes with a juiciness and elegant tannins in the finish." - Jeff Stewart, Winemaker
