John Hamel’s Vision for Pure, Precise Wines at Hamel Family Wines
What a treat to have a conversation with John Hamel, Director of Winegrowing at Hamel Family Wines since 2017. John and I met virtually at an online tasting (with wines sent as samples) during which the two of us chatted about what has remained the same or similar and the changes that have occurred since I visited the stunning tasting room in Sonoma in 2016. That first visit nine years ago afforded me the opportunity to indulge in stellar wines, chat with owner George Hamel, Jr., and even see a glimpse of John in the barrel room who was, at the time, on the winemaking team.
Photo Credit: Hamel Family Wines
And now? Thanks to John and the team, Hamel Family Wines has made the commitment to produce wines that truly reflect terroir. Specifically, the approach is based on practices that adapt to the unique, volcanic soils found throughout Hamel’s vineyards. The results are in the glass. But first.
About Hamel Family Wines
George Hamel, Jr. retired from a successful career with private equity firms that included Blum Capital (where he held a partnership) and ValueAct Capital, the San Francisco company he co-founded. In 2006, he and his wife, Pam, purchased a home in Kenwood; on the property were vineyards of Cabernet Sauvignon. George and Pam purchased additional land, cultivated more grapes, hired renown Julia Iantosca as their consultant, and produced 292 cases of their first vintage of Hamel Family Wines. They were ready to expand their winemaking venture. Once the property on Highway 12 (formerly owned by George and Phoebe Hearst) was available, the family decided to make an offer and Hamel Family Wines became a serious, viable operation.
Youngest son, John Hamel, decided to join the family winemaking venture having graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a journalism degree; this was followed by a stint as an organic farmer in Napa Valley and in public relations for wineries. As of 2017, John is the lead Winemaker. He received his winemaking certification from University of California (UC) – Davis and worked closely with esteemed winemaking consultant Martha McClellan from 2010 to 2016. Hamel attributes Martha to his extreme focus on the vineyard and “unrelenting perfectionism.” In essence, John will not take a shortcut on process when the goal is quality.
Hamel Family Wines is certified organic and certified biodynamic since 2015. “These farming practices allow us the ability to create balance in order to help plants get through a difficult season. The result is the quality in the wines,” shared John.
John Hamel at Nuns Canyon Vineyards – Photo Credit: Hamel Family Wines
“The Ceiling for Quality is Set By the Soil”
John remarked that he loves wines from Europe, especially for their mineral driven qualities. “The wines we were making at Hamel were just grazing the character of minerality,” he remarked during our conversation. “It was important to me to connect the wines more deeply to the place – our soils are volcanic.” To that end, Chilean native Pedro Parra, renown consultant with a PhD. in Terroir from France, agreed to meet John. “I had to prove that we were worth it for him to work with us! He understands the character of soils and what they lend to the wine,” John admitted. After mapping the vineyard areas and noting the dramatic changes frequently happening to the soils, Parra “saw potential to make great wines” in the area’s Mediterranean climate with vineyards on slopes west of the Mayacamas Mountains. “The ceiling for quality is set by the soil,” stated Hamel.
Pedro Parra – Photo Credit: Hamel Family Wines
Soon thereafter, John, newly married, visited Champagne during the honeymoon. John quickly realized, after talking with winemakers, that “if you irrigate, there is no terroir. The root system must be deep and irrigation does not encourage that.” Upon more research, the Hamel team began to move towards dry farming in 2017 and now 20% of the vineyards have achieved that milestone. For more about farming practices, click HERE.
The winemaking process is “centered on soil-based polygons. Each polygon is harvested and vinified individually to capture the purity of place. In the cellar, gentle extraction, aging in large oak casks and concrete tanks, and minimal racking are among the techniques used to express the volcanic terroir in the bottle. The wines are more refined and lower in alcohol than those most common in California.”
Photo Credit: Hamel Family Wines
“Clean, Precise, Pure” Wines from Hamel Family Wines
From a parcel that is dry farmed, 2023 Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($60) is a blend of 86% Sauvignon Blanc and 14% Semillon from two vineyards: Tres Palmas (soils are of fractured Rhyolite and basalt colluvium) and Nuns Canyon (soils are fractured basalt). This beauty was fermented in stainless steel and neutral oak then aged 8 months in concrete eggs and neutral Austrian oak. The blend was further aged for 3 months in stainless steel tanks before bottling. This inspiring wine offered notes of salt and flint (thank you, terroir), citrus, yellow flowers, chalk, and stone fruit on the nose and palate. Fresh with energy and personality, I was reminded of my favorite Sancerre wine but with a Sonoma vibe.
Exposing the elegant side of volcanic terroir is 2023 Estate Grenache ($80). The blend of 84% Grenache, 8% Mourvedre, 8% Zinfandel is from Nuns Canyon Vineyard, Hamel Family Ranch (soils are of Rhyolitic colluvium, and fractured basalt), and Rattlesnake Ridge. Fermentation (whole cluster) was in stainless steel tanks and neutral oak then aged in concrete eggs. Charming and ethereal, I noted savory herbs, lovely red fruit such as strawberries and raspberries, and florals lifted with bright acidity and soft tannins. Balanced with a lingering finish, the wine can certainly age.
John shared that Stratum 2020 ($60) is “an entry point to our portfolio.” A flavorful blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot, I found a structured and balanced wine with aromas of dark plums and cherries, violets, and cedar. On the palate, notes of dark fruit and chalk, along with the terroir’s signature minerality were on a foundation of vibrant acidity and graceful tannins. Fruit was cultivated in both Nuns Canyon Vineyard and Hamel Family Ranch. Aging was for 12 months in neutral French oak casks, new French oak barrels, and 1-year old French oak barrels followed by 5 months in 100% concrete tanks.
Our final wine was a show stopper: 2019 Nuns Canyon Vineyard ($160), a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Cabernet Franc. Power and energy are just a few words to describe this wine that offered aromas of just picked raspberries, pink florals, earth, and exotic spice. On the textured palate, I found minerality, breezy salinity and rich dark fruits and earth. The finish lingered. Fermentation was in stainless steel, oak, and concrete tanks followed by 20 months in new French oak casks and barrels, and neutral French oak barrels. Of course, 2019 Nuns Canyon Vineyard is pure and delicious now, but consider aging it for up to 15 years.
Of the many goals at Hamel Family Wines, “we want to create balance and realize the mineral character in the wines. Before consulting with Pedro Parra and moving towards dry farming, “plants were not tied to the place. Now our wines have energy,” stated John. “I feel that my job is to connect and understand where and how we can get the best quality. We are producing wines that are clean, precise, and pure.”
Cheers!~ Cindy
