Hanna Winery and its wines takes their name from the vineyard’s president, a dynamic female winemaker, Chris Hanna.
Hanna Winery can best be considered a boutique operation; it produces limited quantities of wines high in quality.
We were recently privileged to sample some of Chris Hanna’s wines and found them to be superb and another example of the need for more female winemakers.
Hanna 2012 Red Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon ($30) The Hanna 2012 Red Ranch Cabernet Savignon was produced using many of the time-honored techniques for making a cab that originated in the French district of Bordeaux centuries ago.
A major difference is the blend used in its makeup: cabernet sauvignon, merlot and malbec. After fermentation, the wine was allowed to quietly mature in oak barrels for 18 months, resulting in a wine that is regal and elegant.
The aroma of the Red Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is heavy with cherries, pomegranates, cranberries, cedar and vanilla, which carry over to the flavor along with a bit of oak. The finish is long and reflects the fruits found in the flavor and aroma.
This wine is ready for drinking right now or can be set down to age for as long as a decade to further gain complexity.
Hanna 2012 Bismark Mountain Vineyards Zinfandel ($13) The Hanna 2012 Bismark Mountain Vineyards Zinfandel [it’s spelled that way on the bottle] is a big, bold wine that proudly announces its attributes, of which there are many.
The color is a deep garnet and heralds the aromas of raspberry, blueberry, black raspberry, plums, blackberry, boysenberry and licorice, with hints of vanilla and brown sugar that seem to fill the room when the cork is pulled. The flavor, which mirrors the aroma, totally fills the mouth and lingers.
We also would suggest this wine be served slightly chilled; about a half hour in the fridge prior to opening will greatly add to the enjoyment.
Hanna 2013 Russian River Valley Chardonnay ($15)There are few who would argue the Russian River Valley produces some of the best chardonnay grapes in the world. Give Chris Hanna this kind of grape to work with, and you’re assured an outstanding wine.
At the first sip, the wine explodes with the flavors and aromas of green apples and pears with a suggestion of citrus. There is also a very pleasant under-flavor of oak, which when combined with a near-perfect acid level, results in a wine of classical dimensions. The finish of this wine exhibits the much sought after buttery feel in the mouth, the sign of a better chardonnay.
Hanna 2013 Sauvignon Blanc ($12)Sauvignon blanc grapes can produce wines in the California style, with a melon and citrus flavor as well as wines in the classical European style, which stress a prominent grassy aroma. This wine lives in both worlds; it has the classical grassy component, which is very expertly held in check so that the fruit flavor of its California birthplace can shine through.
This effect allows the wine to be served with a wider spectrum of foods than its European or pure California-styled cousin. If you have tried savignon blanc wines in the past and have been turned off by the grassy and vegetative aromas and flavors, try this wine; it is quite different.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.
