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Eventually, the premise of creating an enduring family winery matured, and in 1985, the family brought in iconic winemaker Merry Edwards. Ever the maven, Edwards proved instrumental in launching the brand as well as a de facto career counselor to Chris Hanna. "She put us on the map and taught me so much—not just about winemaking, but how to navigate as a woman in the business," Hanna reflects. "Even when I started in 1991, there were very few women in the business." Though the wine industry wasn't entirely a boy's game when Hanna assumed the helm of her family's business, she observed that women were most often relegated to PR and marketing roles and were seldom seen as winemakers, let alone in general management roles. "That's the position I found myself in as a young wom- an," she remembers, ruing the days when she had to deal with burly, old-school equipment contractors for whom working with a woman was outside their comfort zone. "That's certainly changed over the years." Likewise, much has changed in Hanna's life in the inter- vening years, including raising a family while running the family business, as well as the forthcoming publication of The Winemaker Cooks, a seasonally-themed collection of recipes with varietally-specific wine-pairing suggestions, appearing from Chronicle Books in 2010. "I've set up my life from a convenience standpoint so I can try to juggle both," explains Hanna, who boasts a four- mile commute and easy access to her young son's school, which she says she can reach in as little as 22 seconds if need be. Hanna attributes the aplomb with which she manages the various responsibilities in her life to the en- trepreneurial culture of the winery. Her dynamic schedule, however, comes with the caveat that she's also available around the clock. "That's the trade-off, but that's a pretty nice trade-off," says Hanna, who extends the same tunderstanding to her staff. "Thank goodness we have a male winemaker, otherwise, the bench is pretty full of women," she laughs. "It's not deliberate, but there's a certain simpati- co. There are several women on staff who have kids and are working moms, and I think we all understand each other. We have a wonderful team." Winemaker Jeff Hinchcliffe, of course, is much more than the winery's token male. Since 1998, he has created wines that attract both ac- colades and enthusiasts alike. "When you work with some- one for 12 years in a key role like that, you begin to finish each other's sentences. We have wonderful alignment in that regard," says Hanna of her winemaker, who produced a trio of Sauvignon Blanc vintages that each took the sweep- stakes award at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Likewise, Hinchcliffe's 1999 Alexander Valley Cabernet was ranked number 26 among Wine Spectator's "World's Top 100 Wines." Presently, more than half of Hanna Winery & Vineyards' total production is dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc, which has grown from a mere couple hundred cases in the beginning to an annual case production of 29,000 under Chris Hanna's tenure. The majority of the fruit (including a bit of Sauvignon Musqué) is sourced from the winery's own vineyard at the heart of the Russian River Valley, as well as from other Russian River Valley growers. "That cool climate really makes Sauvignon Blanc sing and allows the aromatics to come through," notes Hanna. The 2009 vintage promises to maintain the consistent and critically-lauded profile that has earned this wine its 90-plus ratings since 2004. It's no wonder that every Four Seasons hotel in the country featured Hanna's Sauvignon Blanc in their by-the-glass program—a placement that af- forded the wine greater proximity to the consumer. "Being able to get close to consumers—that's really what it's about. Sometimes in this business, we focus on wholesale sales, and that drives the engine; but given the system, it's hard to get to the consumer," Hanna acknowl- edges. "We're real believers of that, which is why we have three tasting rooms." Besides its Alexander Valley loca- tion, the winery maintains presences in the Russian River Valley as well as in the popular Press Club tasting room in San Francisco. "What I find is that we have the most loyal band of wine club members. I think that they love, after all these years, the fact that we're still family-owned—it's still us." Hanna's signature wine is stainless steel fermented and is redolent of New Zealand–style Sauvignon Blancs, but with a "Cali- fornia vibe" that Hanna attributes to a rounder, grapefruit aromatic and soft, vibrant fruit. january–february 2010 / the tasting panel / The beefy and dense Hanna Bismark Moun- tain 2004 Syrah, from fruit grown in the rare terroir of the Mayacamas Mountains high above the city of Sonoma and the San Pablo Bay.