Hanzell Vertical

Union Restaurant, Seattle.
Tasted Sunday, April 15, 2007 by AndrewSGHall with 1,050 views

Introduction

Rounding out the Seattle leg of our trip was a 7 hour encounter with the wines of Hanzell. Admirably hosted by Roy Hersh and augmented by the current winemaker and GM Michael Terrien.

Flights Chard I, Chard II, Pinot I, Pinot II, Pinot III, Pinot IV were all done in succession before dinner. Some salt cod croquettes and a mushroom-chevre crostini were presented early on, but the majority was solo with bread to cleanse.

Flight 1 - Chardonnay I (4 Notes)

  • 1980 Hanzell Chardonnay

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Slight shellac nose with pears and faint brioche. Bright acids, very slender and svelte. Seville oranges with slight ash on the finish. Good body. Very nice for 20 minutes or so then became flat and shrill.

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  • 1981 Hanzell Chardonnay

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Light nose with slight note of salmon fat which is present in texture and body. Fleshy taste, very nice structure and good acids to balance. Element of Amaretto. Very well-toned while both pretty and bold. Delight.

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  • 1984 Hanzell Chardonnay Flawed

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Corked.

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  • 1987 Hanzell Chardonnay

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Mandarin oil on the nose with suckle elements. Looser body than the 80/81 and less tone. Mineral water and salt on the back. Tired and pulled. Gives way to shellac.

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Flight 2 - Chardonnay II (4 Notes)

  • 1992 Hanzell Chardonnay

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Paler and greener than others (93, 94, 95). Reticent nose with a bit of minerally matchstick. Not of a lot of structure, hi-pitched acids with citron vodka notes. A bit of bitter as well. Gelatin texture on the back. Nicely complex with a purity and a great rhythym.

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  • 1993 Hanzell Chardonnay

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Luxe-nose, almost saddle soap or faux-leather. Nice integration and softness. A bit of mandarin and nut oil. Nice push to it. Restrained, but balanced and well-set.

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  • 1994 Hanzell Chardonnay Flawed

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Corked.

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  • 1995 Hanzell Chardonnay

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Honey-suckle and jasmine on the nose. Oak sour on the mouth with a rough pull. Big body and shoulders, but no knit or harmony despite good elements.

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Flight 3 - Pinot I (3 Notes)

  • 1965 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Slight brown to blood colour. Cafe brûlot nose leading to brick, orange peel and some spice. Semi-bright acids with a nice plushness. Chew tobacco and sassafras, thyme and marrow all as mature flavors. A bit papery finish. Held ~20 minutes before cracking up.

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  • 1973 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Smoke and teaberry nose. Less acid, lingers with a good pull. Gravlax-y elements, umami. Develops Asian grocery on the nose. A bit of rust and fruit leather on the finish. Solidified very nicely with a great beat and harmony.

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  • 1974 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Similar nose to '73 - mocha and coffee roast dust. Slight furnace and must with a dry Madeira element. Faded, milkweedy notes, non-sweet chai as well. Weakened clearly.

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Flight 4 - Pinot II (4 Notes)

  • 1976 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Curing spices and sweat on the nose. Drawn acids with a cleanser component. Slight prune and pine.FFeisty tannins. Evolved into some angularity with a nose and (imagined) flavor as a ringer for CdG's Ink - which is pretty cool.

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  • 1977 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Ozone and burnt electric circuits on the nose. Flat out old feeling. Dissolved. DOA.

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  • 1978 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Touch balsamic with cherry wood oil. Very sauvage and rough trade comes across in a very un-tamed, un-precise way. Fougere dominant as well. Hang on for the ride.

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  • 1979 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Toluene on the nose. Dry fruit spirits. Nice wash on the palate with persistence. Good precision and point. Firm acids, good balance, animal notes and mossy notes subtlely on the end. Très Pinot.

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Flight 5 - Pinot III (4 Notes)

  • 1980 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Lilac nose with tar and menthol. Big push which is very seductive and suave. Lots of body and nerve. Saffron notes. Serious energy going on as well. Good stuff.

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  • 1982 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Gamey yak tea or pu-erh nose. Natural sweat. Lighter body with some sap. Nice acids to balance the life notes. Good finish, but structure off-kilter. Charming nonetheless.

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  • 1983 Hanzell Pinot Noir Flawed

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Corked.

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  • 1987 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Rich nose of over-brewed oolong which continued to the palate. Dark fruits, cherry and myrrh. Fruit dominates though a little chypre tinges the finish. Tannins too prominent instead of providing power.

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Flight 6 - Pinot IV (4 Notes)

Flight 7 - Intermezzo (1 Note)

Table was cleared and reset after a short break. Dinner courses accompanied the remaining flights. A beef tartare with the Champagne.

Flight 8 - Dinner Chards (4 Notes)

Paired with Scallop in Cauliflower soup, then Halibut w/ white beans and haricot vert.

Flight 9 - Dinner Pinot (4 Notes)

Paired with Squab, celery root puree and red chard.

  • 1994 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    (Second bottle w/ dinner as previous was not up to snuff) A bit of animal with nice fruit and texture. Good muscle. Bright and sappy. Nice quality.

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  • 1999 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Nice. Slight Peychaud bitters, slight lichen as well. Soft fruits. Good suaveness, though a back feeling of corkiness makes occassional appearance.

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  • 2000 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Nice, light with a good precision. Cherry-lite. Slight sweetness which grows to kirsch and flabbiness.

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  • 2001 Hanzell Pinot Noir

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Cherry sucrosity. Quiet structure which tightens up and gains weight. Primary and full. Slight tobacco and plum towards the end.

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Flight 10 - Lonely Cab (1 Note)

Mit cana cheese w/ candied carrots and Marcona almonds.

Flight 11 - Dessert (1 Note)

Rosemary creme caramel w/ orange parsnip puree - a really great dessert.

  • 2001 Domaine Yves Cuilleron Condrieu Ayguets

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

    White pepper on the nose with warm roasted stone fruits. Some floral and a malty sweetness and good acidity. very soft texture. Smoother and rounder than 3.5 years ago with less flowers or mineral, but richer body and texture.

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Closing

That was a serious marathon of a tasting and a fascinating view of the evolution of a wine producer and of wine styles.

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