2007 Walter Hansel Chardonnay Cuvée Alyce

The 2007 Chardonnay Cuvee Alyce is sensational. Named after Stephen Hansel’s recently deceased 90-year-old mother, the wine has admirable minerality, plenty of honeysuckle, hints of pear, white peach, and pineapple, a deep, full-bodied mouthfeel with subtle smokiness from oak, very good acidity, and a long, concentrated finish. This is likely to be the longest-lived of the Chardonnays and capable of lasting for up to 7-10 years. This is a source for very fine Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs at some of the most realistic prices to be found in Northern California. Like several producers in the Russian River, the 2006s out of bottle from Walter Hansel Winery seem to be evolving quickly and, by-and-large, are slightly less impressive than they were at the beginning of their lives. Nevertheless, the good producers have achieved noteworthy success in this vintage, and certainly Stephen Hansel should be proud of what he’s been able to accomplish in that vintage. Moreover, the 2007s look to be a return to the brilliant quality of the wines produced here in 2005 and 2004. Tasting through barrel samples of all the 2007 Pinot Noirs, this looks to be a superb vintage for Stephen Hansel. Yields were very small, averaging about 1.5 tons of fruit per acre, so these wines reflect a level of concentration, but with the overt fragrance and good acidity that the cool growing season provided. Tel. (707) 525-3614; Fax (707) 528-1310