Winemaker Notes
Located in the middle stretch of the Santa Lucia Highlands, the 243-acre Doctor’s Vineyard experiences warmer temperatures and higher winds than Hahn’s other estate vineyards in the region. Certified sustainable, the vineyard ranges from 320 feet to 720 feet above sea level, with gently sloped hillsides and wide row spacing that offers greater sun exposure. The dry and slightly warmer climate here results in a riper more robust Pinot Noir, with layers of cherry and citrus fruits along with brown spice and tones of mushroom and earth. The wine’s balanced acidity and smooth tannins lead to a round, approachably soft mouthfeel and a lingering finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Fresh sagebrush and tarragon create an herbal sensation on the nose of this bottling, with smoke, mulberry and tea leaves rounding out the experience. The palate is a combination of fruit and earth, with thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and tarragon coating the core flavors of cranberry, raspberry and orange peel. It’s all wrapped in oaky warmth.
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Wine Spectator
Rich and layered, with plump, juicy wild berry, raspberry, blackberry jam and cedar flavors. A full and complete style that touches all the bases. Drink now through 2025.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.