Hamel Family Wines

Exacting vineyard practices and informed cellar decisions enhance Sonoma County boutique operation’s wines. 

One perk of covering the Wine Country is the opportunity to accompany winemakers into the vineyard to observe how soil, elevation, wind, sun exposure, and farming techniques influence flavor and quality. During the era of sheltering in place, it was the part of my gig I missed the most: experiencing the land via Zoom or website photos and videos just isn’t the same. That said, while participating in a May 2020 virtual group chat with John Hamel, the winemaker at Sonoma County’s Hamel Family Wines, I got a pretty good sense of the winery’s four estate vineyards and his exacting practices for tending their grapes.  

John’s parents, Pam and George Hamel Jr., purchased their first property in 2006. The family now owns three vineyards on the Sonoma Valley floor and one on Moon Mountain. As John spoke about the winery’s evolution, several journalists and I sampled a white and three reds, one of the latter an older release. John’s objective is to farm so well that he needn’t intervene much after harvest, so he tends to downplay his work in the cellar, but his informed decisions there enhance the wines in equally significant ways. Below are my thoughts on the four wines tasted.

Tasting Thoughts

2018 Sauvignon Blanc Tres Palmas Vineyard 

Especially when it’s not overly chilled, there’s much to notice about this Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Minerality and acidity assert themselves first, followed by taut flavors counterbalanced by a faint roundness that doesn’t undercut crispness. None of this is accidental, but rather the result of dry (no irrigation) biodynamic agriculture, mineral-driven soils, and vines as old as two decades. This wine is about its land and farming, though the partial use of neutral French oak barrels during fermentation and aging also contributes. 

2017 Zinfandel

The emphasis at Hamel on “farming” wines as opposed to heavy manipulation during the winemaking process is fully evident in this classy Zin. The wine owes its leanness and acidity to John’s constant monitoring of clusters and an early pick date, its mild earthiness to stem inclusion during fermentation. Aging in French oak doesn’t hurt either. (Because even a great Zinfandel will only fetch so much at retail, to make ends meet many producers use less-expensive American oak, often forgoing the elegance French wood can supply.) In no way jammy like many California Zins, this one has character, backbone, and style. If there’s such a thing as a luxury Zinfandel, Hamel’s is it.

2016 Isthmus 

What might seem like a bombast of French oak (66% new, 34% once-used barrels, for 26 months) lends power and firmness to this Cabernet Sauvignon–heavy (89%, plus 10% Cab Franc and 1% Merlot) Bordeaux-style blend that reminds this old-timer of 1970s Napa Cabs. Concentrated flavors and grippy tannins courtesy of predominantly hillside fruit (62% from the Nuns Canyon Vineyard, elevation 1,300 to 1,700 feet, versus 38% from Hamel Family Ranch on the Sonoma Valley floor) grab instant attention, but the impression that lingers is one of balance. This is all the more true as this red opens up; though the tannins still registered on day two, the wine had softened, an indication that it’ll likely age gracefully.

2014 Hamel Family Ranch 

I’ve got nothing against blending other grapes into Cab but always appreciate a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon like this one that seems wholly complete—I can’t imagine how blending in other varietals could improve it. The wine was aged in 100% new French oak, an approach the winemaker hints he might not take these days. The interplay between the flavors imparted by the fruit and valley-floor soils was a delight to ponder.

Tasting Experiences

Executive chef Thomas Mendel, who arrived in 2023, elevated the already polished hospitality offerings with the addition of the Reserve Experience. The session begins with a tour of the winery and caves, followed by a tasting of top-tier wines paired with cuisine illustrating their versatility.

 Info

15401 Sonoma Hwy., Sonoma 95476 

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This story originally appeared in 2020; it was most recently updated in 2023.