Walter Hansel Cahill Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 | Compare to Premier & Grand Crus that cost 3-5 times the price

Walter Hansel Cahill Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 is a blend of three clones.  While one of which is the magic Rochioli Pommard clone.  And these vines are hitting their stride, at age 26 in 2015. This is a spicy, exotic, old-world style of Pinot Noir with the ripeness of Russian River sun. Put this in a lineup with Vosne-Romanée Premier Crus and Grand Crus that cost three to five times the price.  Then watch it walk away with the “Wine of the Night” title. STUNNING Quality Price Ratio!

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95VN | The Walter Hansel Cahill Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 is a bit more closed than the other wines in this range, but it also offers greater subtlety finesse and nuance. I expect the 2016 will need at least a few years to be at its best, but all the elements are in place for that to happen. Blood orange, white pepper, chalk, and mint give the 2016 an attractive upper register that is beguiling. This is a superb showing from Steve Hansel. 95+ (AG)

93WA | The nose of the medium ruby-purple colored Walter Hansel Cahill Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 sings of crushed black cherries, black raspberries and red plums with touches of underbrush, dried herbs, and violets plus a hint of dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, it has a vibrantly fruited palate of red berry layers, framed by soft tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing very long. 728 cases produced.

Walter Hansel Winery

At Walter Hansel Winery, the emphasis is on low yields (which range from 1.5 to 2.7 tons/acre), precise viticulture and non-interventionist winemaking. Stephen Hansel (Walter’s son) exercises strict control in the vineyards, producing beautiful – vineyard designated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

All of Hansel’s fruit is hand-harvested. Stephen makes an average of 9 passes through each vineyard including one pass just to pull the second crop. Each pass is time-consuming and expensive but Stephen feels the vine rewards him with more concentrated flavors. Upon arrival at the winery, the fruit is scrupulously sorted. Only using natural yeasts during fermentation. The Chardonnays are whole cluster pressed into French oak for fermentation. The primary fermentation remains cool to slowly complete in 2-3 weeks. Malolactic fermentation can last until early spring the next year. The Pinot Noirs are destemmed and fermented in open top fermenters. The resulting wines are beautifully balanced combining complexity and finesse.

Winemaker Stephen Hansel | Accolades from Vinous

It is so refreshing to taste with proprietor Stephen Hansel. At a time when so many of the world’s best wines are increasingly unaffordable for the normal consumer, Hansel has kept his prices decidedly reasonable. As I have written before, Hansel’s wines epitomize what the Russian River does so well; namely rich, buttery Chardonnays and forward, juicy Pinots.