The Doctor Is Now In Another Family + Gossip Galore

August 20, 2024 – There is finally long-awaited news regarding the fate of Doctor’s Vineyard, that lovely little vinescape in Soledad planted by the late Nicky Hahn in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The 234-acre vineyard, planted exclusively to Pinot Noir beginning in 1991, was named for Nicky’s daughter, Carolyn, a veterinarian. Planted on an east facing hillside with wide row spacing, it rose to prominence when brands like Testarossa discovered it. Much revered by Testarossa’s owners, Rob and Diana Jensen, and their throngs of club members, it is the hands down favorite of many of them each year. Many other esteemed brands, including E16, Jazz and Soquel Vineyards, have sourced from Doctor’s. 

Longtime winemaker and GM for Hahn Family Winery, Paul Clifton, told us last week that the Riboli Family of Los Angeles had acquired Doctor’s Vineyard, a site from which he made acclaimed Lucienne wines every year since he’s been with Hahn. 

The Riboli Family business began when a young man named Santo Cambianica, left his home of Berzo San Fermo, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, and emigrated to the US. From Ellis Island, he traveled to Los Angeles, where he founded the San Antonio Winery in 1917. A devout Catholic, he named it for his Patron Saint Anthony. In retrospect, this was a good move, as it literally saved the winery during Prohibition: San Antonio was the number one supplier of altar wine, while the rest of the LA wineries went bust. In 1937, Santo handed the winery over to Stefano Riboli ad his wife, Maddalena, who have run it ever since. Four generations and many vineyard acquisitions later, it is still a family owned and operated business. Much like Gallo, actually. 

When Gallo purchased the Hahn brand and wine assets in the spring of 2023, they declined to purchase the Hahn vineyard holdings or the physical winery property. The Hahn tasting room at the Carmel Plaza was quickly shut down by Gallo, and Chalone Vineyard, a Foley Family property, moved in. The Hahn tasting room on River Road has been shuttered since the sale of the brand and assets to Gallo. 

The 146-acre Lone Oak Vineyard, planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, was purchased last year from the Hahn Family by Jackson Family Winery.  

With the acquisition of Doctor’s Vineyard, the Riboli Family, adds to its Monterey holdings, which include the 64-acre El Camino Vineyard in Arroyo Seco, planted exclusively to Clone 4 Chardonnay, and the 242-acre Loma Vista Vineyard, also in Arroyo Seco, with 5 clones of Chardonnay, as well as Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir and Syrah. In the Santa Lucia Highlands, they also own the 343-acre Sarmento Vineyard, initially made popular by James MacPhail’s Sequana brand, later purchased by Hess Collection, which is planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the as well as the 282-acre Rancho Vineyard in Soledad, planted to Riesling, Pinot Grigio and Gewurztraminer. 

There is still no word on the fate of the beautiful Hahn winery property itself, complete with tasting room facilities. One hopes that someone with an established brand looking for an idyllic spot to welcome visitors, would find it appropriate. Clifton tells us that while going through desk drawers in the office, he discovered old maps and plans for potentially constructing a hospitality center there. If only. It’s what River Road and the Monterey Wine Region really need: lodging out where the most beautiful winery properties are, like Wrath, CRU, Odonata, Rustique and Talbott. 

Apparent Rift in Eden

Winemaker Cory Waller, who has been with Eden Rift since it kicked off in 2016, has left the San Benito company. The new winemaker, according to Christian Pillsbury, is Trevor Chlanda, originally from Amherst, MA, and a graduate of Cornell University, where a wine course sparked his interest in viticulture and oenology. He began by making wine in New Zealand at Oyster Bay, then moving to Williams Selyem in Sonoma. From there he went to Duck Pond Cellars in Dundee, Oregon, and has subsequently had stints at Gallo and at Bin to Bottle. 

Cory’s brother, Mike Waller, has been at Calera Winery since 2007, when the late Josh Jensen,  invited him to come aboard. 

If you love Calera wine, you might want to get in on the auction action at Gabilan Seneca, the annual fundraising event that takes place this Saturday, August 24. The 68th Annual Wine & Food Tasting at Swank Farms will be held from 4:30-7:00pm. Outdoor cocktail attire is requested. Lovers of good wine and food can enjoy California’s oldest wine tasting experience while raising funds to benefit adoption, foster care and mental health services for our youth in San Benito County. Two barrels of Calera wine are being auctioned off, both from the 2022 vintage, with one barrel of Mt. Harlan Chardonnay and one barrel of Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir up for grabs. This auction item was arranged by Mike and Cory’s mom, Kris Waller, who has been involved with the Gabilan Seneca event for years, and is in charge of the auction this year. 

The end of August means harvest is imminent. Some wineries have already harvested for sparkling, of course, but the real action happens when the reds plump up and the birds go berserk. Usually, Chalone is among the first of the AVAs to be picked in our area of the Central Coast. Chalone Winemaker Greg Freeman, who recently came home from a wine trip to Europe, says they are gearing up, and Michael Michaud says he’s patiently waiting. Bill Brosseau will definitely kick off the 2024 harvest by picking grapes from his family’s vineyard in Chalone, likely around Labor Day. 

Speaking of Chalone, we recently tasted an outstanding 2021 Folk Machine Chardonnay from Brosseau Vineyard in Chalone, made by Kenny Likitprakong. At 12.4%, it captures the soul of this sandy, dessicated terroir, that seems to tap deep into the earth for its silky, viscous texture, a hallmark of the Chalone AVA. It has significant weight beyond the ethereal nature of the soil, but when you think about the origins of the region, it makes sense. Chalone is an ancient seabed, lifted up by an undersea volcano over 23 million years ago. Think about all the marine life that has contributed to the soil’s complexity.  

We also thoroughly enjoyed a Joyce 2022 Mourvedre from Rodnick.farm in Chalone. Meaty yet svelte, it is possessed of a silky body and a red raspberry-strawberry-pomegranate swirl, layered with fascinating herbaceousness, including chervil, basil and thyme. This Mourvedre is a wine that absolutely loves any dish built around tomatoes and basil, which means it’s the perfect garden companion right about now.