Hahn SLH Chardonnay 2019

“[Hanh’s] lower priced [single-vineyard] wines consistently deliver serious bang for the buck and are among the best values in a region that, frankly, isn’t known for everyday wines.” -Josh Raynolds, Vinous

Swiss born husband and wife couple Nick and Gaby Hahn were looking for a special place to grow wine when they first moved to California in the late 1970s. They found a lush sprawling mountainous region that was largely unplanted with alluvial soils ideal for drainage and plenty of sunshine to develop fruit. Even better, it had enough fog and ocean breeze to keep acids in perfect harmony – so they took a leap of faith.

While it may have seemed risky due to there being virtually no one else with the same idea, Nick really believed in the area’s potential as a future world-class wine growing region and started investing heavily in land, a winery, and planting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

By 1980’s the grapes grown on the hillside vineyards would make the first vintage of Hahn. Shortly thereafter, Nick would also further his commitment to quality and the land by spearheading the efforts to make Santa Lucia Highlands its own AVA, defining the unique attributes and boundaries of the region. He was successful, of course and SLH is now home to some of the world’s best Chardonnay producers from Lucia, Landmark, Far Niente and Mer Soleil to dozens of others.