Hirsch Vineyards

We first heard about Hirsch Vineyards from my husband’s uncle. A distributor he knew had a surplus of their 2018 Pinot Noir and were selling it for cheap. We decided to snap up a few bottles and ended up really enjoying it, enough that we decided to pay them a visit.

The tasting room for Hirsch is a bit “off the beaten track” in Healdsburg. After you pass Longboard you’re pretty certain you’re going in the wrong direction (in full sun, I might add). But down at the end of Hudson Street, there are a couple of tasting rooms grouped together across from the River Belle Inn.

Tastings are $75 per person and are only offered on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (by appointment). We sat outside, beneath the pergola and sampled their new releases with Randy, who was incredibly knowledgeable about both the terroir and winemaking process.

We sampled a nutty Chardonnay before moving into the Pinot Noirs. While the Reserve had a robust flavor and good structure with a floral nose and cherry cola on the palate, we felt the San Andreas (a blend of their vineyards) was not equal to the sum of its parts. Our favorite was easily the Block 8, which was a “kick in the pants.” There was smoked paprika, earth, and red fruits like raspberry and strawberry, Can’t wait to see how this one turns out in a couple of years.