Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/551222
august 2015 / the tasting panel / 65 I f you want to learn about the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA—not just the wines, but also microclimates, soils and history—Hahn Estate is a great place to start. Hahn Family Wines, which owns Hahn Estate, has been producing quality wines in the area for 35 years. It's a cornerstone of SLH due to founder Nicky Hahn's leadership role in establishing the AVA. Now under the direction of Philip Hahn, Nicky's son and the second generation of the Hahn family, the winery continues on the path of elevating wine quality with increased focus on its estate vineyards. THE TASTING PANEL recently joined seven Monterey County sommeliers invited to Hahn Estate for a day of tasting and technical discussions. When Director of Viticulture Andy Mitchell joined Hahn Family Wines in 1998, the vineyards were still on their original plantings from the 1970s, mostly Bordeaux varieties. During that time, a boom in demand for quality California wine led people to look for vineyard land beyond the well-established Napa Valley and Sonoma County. New vineyards were created throughout Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties. Among the most popular grapes for new plantings were Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Riesling. Over time, it became clear that most of Monterey County has a cool climate and is best suited to grapes that ripen readily, such as Pinot Noir. But the Pinot Noir revolution didn't take place in the Santa Lucia Highlands until the mid-1990s. But even before that, it was clear that Santa Lucia Highlands was both distinct from neighboring areas and ideal for viticulture. The AVA is all bench land, running from about 200 feet in elevation up to 1,200 feet. The soils are therefore thinner and much better drained than the deep, fertile colluvial soil below on the Salinas Valley floor. The valley as a whole is like a wind tunnel, benefitting from fog and very cool breezes sweeping in from northwest Monterey Bay to the southeast. This moderates temperatures considerably. But the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, with its eastern face, is also shielded from hot afternoon sun by the Santa Lucia Mountains, which rise to well over 5,000 feet. As a result, it's a Region 1 cool climate with even fewer degree days than the Santa Rita Hills, but the potential for a long growing season because there's little risk of frost or rain. After looking in numerous spots for vineyard land, Nicky and his family settled on the Santa Lucia Highlands. They committed fully to the area, purchasing the Smith Vineyard and Hook Vineyard in 1979. An effort to establish the Santa Lucia Highlands as an official AVA was launched in the late 1980s, and Nicky Hahn was a leading catalyst for that effort. In 1991, official AVA status was granted to SLH. Once the virtues of the area for Pinot Noir became clear, Hahn Family Wines moved quickly. Andy Mitchell oversaw replanting of 100 acres to Pinot Noir in 2001. Hahn Family Wines' total Pinot acreage has since Back row, left to right: Deamer Dunn, President and Wine Buyer at Pajaro Street Grill in Salinas, CA; Dave Eriksen, Resort Beverage Manager at Carmel Valley Ranch; reporter Fred Swan; Bernabe De Luna, Wine Director at Restaurant 1833 in Monterey; Paul Clifton, Director of Winemaking at Hahn Family Wines. Front row, left to right: Andy Mitchell, Director of Viticulture at Hahn Family Wines; Noelle Rodallegas, Food and Beverage Operations Manager at Porter's in the Forest in Pebble Beach; Magdalena Parker, Assistant Restaurant Manager at Schooner's in Monterey; Jennifer Gomez, Sommelier at Porter's in the Forest; Nathaniel Muñoz, Sommelier at Aubergine in Carmel-by-the-Sea; Tony Baldini, President of Hahn Family Wines.