June 2, 2013
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Husch Vineyards
| Owner(s) | Zack Robinson, Amanda Robinson Holstine |
| Web site | www.huschvineyards.com |
| Link to this site |
Founded in 1971, Husch is the oldest winery in the picturesque Anderson Valley. The vineyards are comprised of some of the earliest varietal plantings on the valley floor. In 1968, Tony and Gretchen Husch bought the 60-acre Nunn ranch between Philo and Navarro on Highway 128. The land was well known for growing apples and grains. They soon planted eight acres of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Gewurztraminer grapes on the cool slopes of the property. The plantings sweep down towards the pristine Navarro River. The first official crush was in the fall of 1971.
In 1979, Hugo Oswald Jr. bought the 6,000 case Husch Winery from the Husch family. The Oswald family had been growing pears in the Santa Clara Valley, but when the area was expanding they sold the land and headed for the southern tip of Mendocino County. Today Husch Vineyards remains owned and operated by the 3rd generation of the Oswald family: Zac Robinson and Amanda Robinson Holstine. Winemaking is under the direction of Brad Holstine. Al White, in charge of all viticulture operations, has been with Husch since 1973. Through the years Husch has modernized and expanded, but it has never lost its initial rustic charm or reputation for great wines. Currently, 21 different wines are produced.
The tasting room is in a converted pony barn dating back to the late 1800s and is open daily. There are three Pinot Noirs: an Anderson Valley blend, an Anderson Valley Reserve, and the Knoll (original estate plantings of Pinot Noir).
Articles About Husch Vineyards
Anderson Noir Valley Pinot (Pt II) (7.19 6/5/2009)
Anderson Noir Valley Pinot Festival: After the Smoke Clears (8.16 6/8/2010)
Anderson Noir Valley: Trade Tasting (9.8 6/24/2012)
More Anderson Noir Valley Pinot (9.8 6/24/2012)
Small Sips of Pinot (8.1 9/19/2009)
Tasting of Anderson Valley Pinot Noirs (6.28 6/3/2007)
Wineries in Anderson Valley and Mendocino Ridge* (6.60 6/9/2008)
Reviewed Wines
2009 Husch Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., $18. 25%
whole cluster.
·
Moderately light reddish color in the glass. Aromas of
confected black cherries, raspberries, forest floor, potpourri, and
vanilla. Mid weight flavors of black raspberries, black cherries,
currants and sandalwood with a hint of citrus on the finish. Smooth
and easy to drink with pleasing acidity and fine grain tannins. Even
better the next day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. This is
always a dependable wine that is easy on the wallet. You won’t find a better
under $20 Pinot Noir anywhere in California. Very good.
Reviewed June 24, 2012
ARTICLE »
2009 Husch Knoll Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., TA 0.56, 410
cases, $40, release July 1, 2012. Old vines originally planted in 1971, the first
Pinot Noir vines in Anderson Valley. The vines thrive in an outcropping of
sandstone with shale lenses, possessing excellent drainage. 75% de-stemmed,
25% whole cluster. Aged 17 months in 50% new French oak barrels.
·
Moderately deep reddish-purple robe. Heady aromas of dark red cherries and
berries with hints of spice and an earthy bent. Discreetly concentrated core of
spiced black cherries, wrapped in big-boned, ripe tannins typical of this site,
finishing with crispness and very impressive length. Considerable nuance lies
within this special wine. A connoisseur's wine. Very good (+).
Reviewed June 24, 2012
ARTICLE »
2009 Husch Nash Mill Vineyard Estate Bottled Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., 18 cases, $40. This winery is celebrating 40 years. The
vineyard from which the grapes are sourced is located at the cool
northern end of the Anderson Valley. Planted in 2003, the vineyard
consists of four acres of Pinot Noir and includes clones Pommard 5 and
Dijon 667 and 777. Very low yields due to frost in this vintage.
·
Moderately light in color in the glass. Embracing aromas of black cherries, black
raspberries and woodshed picking up intensity over time in the glass. An hi-collared
wine with crisp and bright flavors of dark cherries, dark red berries, cola,
baking spice and Hoison sauce, wrapped in ripe, grainy tannins, finishing with an
amazing persistence rarely seen in California Pinot Noir. Beautiful interplay
between fruit and tannin. Class in the glass that will thoroughly please Pinot connoisseurs. Only available at
klwine.com.
Reviewed November 2, 2011
ARTICLE »
2007 Husch Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., $17. Aged 9
months in French oak.
·
Moderately deep garnet color. Red fruits
including strawberries and raspberries are featured in the aromas and
flavors in a lighter-weighted style with a touch of savory herbs in the
background. An easy drinker with gossamer tannins and a soft mouth
feel. A consistently reliable producer of value-priced Pinot Noir.
Available on the website at www.huschvineyards.com and through fine retail wine
stores.
Reviewed September 19, 2009
ARTICLE »
2007 Husch Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., $23.
·
Enticing aromas of black cherries, fig,
Provencal herbs and oak. A cherry bombast of moderate weight. Slightly creamy and easy to drink
with fine grain tannins and a refreshing acid tang on the short finish. Consistently one of the best
under $20 Pinot Noirs produced in California (full retail is $23, but it is often discounted in the retail
market to $16.50-18.00). Good.
Reviewed June 8, 2010
ARTICLE »
2007 Husch Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 3,938
cases, $23. To be released in June 2009. Fermented in small, open-top
fermenters and punched down three times per day. Aged 10 months in 25%
new French oak barrels.
·
Moderately light reddish-violet color. A simple but
thoroughly satisfying wine featuring red berries, crushed cherries, savory
herbs, tobacco, and a deft touch of oak vanillin. Terrifically smooth mouth feel
with gossamer tannins. Not a wine to contemplate and won’t send pinotphiles into
ecstasy, but impossible to find a better easy-drinking California Pinot Noir for this price.
Great Pinot bang for the buck.
Reviewed June 5, 2009
ARTICLE »
2007 Husch Estate Reserve Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., 498 cases, $35. Released in the
spring 2010. Best lots in the cellar given special handling and extended aging. 25% whole cluster. Aged 15
months in 50% new French oak barrels.
·
Very reserved nose which fails to respond to coaxing. Medium-bodied
core of cherry cola and mocha flavors with a loamy underpinning. Tight and unyielding with little charm now.
Good, but could receive more accolades with another couple of years in the cellar.
Reviewed June 8, 2010
ARTICLE »
2007 Husch Nash Mill Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 12
cases, $40. This is a 4-acre vineyard in the hills above Husch.
·
Very subdued
black cherry and dark berry aromas with a hint of toasted oak and mint. Very
tasty and exotic featuring impressive mid palate richness. Deliciously vivid dark
berry and red plum fruits are set off nicely by judicious use of oak and silky
tannins. The flavors currently trump the aromas. Very good.
Reviewed June 8, 2010
ARTICLE »
2006 Husch Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 5,598 cases,
$23. Aged 10 months in 25% new French oak.
·
This wine gives you a lot of bang
for the buck. Always crafted in an elegant, easily approachable style, it has
mouthwatering acidity. Red cherry and raspberry flavors are front and center with
a sidecar of spice and Dr. Pepper.
Reviewed June 9, 2008
ARTICLE »
2005 Husch Vineyards Knoll Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
425 cases, $38.
25% whole cluster. Aged 15 months in 50% new French oak. Not tasted. The
wine is available on the website.
·
Reviewed June 9, 2008
ARTICLE »
2004 Husch The Knoll Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 265 cases, $38.
·
This is a spirited Pinot
that wows you with soft, dark fruits, a caressing texture, and sleek tannins. Plenty of style and grace.
Reviewed June 3, 2007
ARTICLE »
2009 Husch Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., $18. 25% whole cluster. · Moderately light reddish color in the glass. Aromas of confected black cherries, raspberries, forest floor, potpourri, and vanilla. Mid weight flavors of black raspberries, black cherries, currants and sandalwood with a hint of citrus on the finish. Smooth and easy to drink with pleasing acidity and fine grain tannins. Even better the next day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. This is always a dependable wine that is easy on the wallet. You won’t find a better under $20 Pinot Noir anywhere in California. Very good. Reviewed June 24, 2012 ARTICLE »
2009 Husch Knoll Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., TA 0.56, 410 cases, $40, release July 1, 2012. Old vines originally planted in 1971, the first Pinot Noir vines in Anderson Valley. The vines thrive in an outcropping of sandstone with shale lenses, possessing excellent drainage. 75% de-stemmed, 25% whole cluster. Aged 17 months in 50% new French oak barrels. · Moderately deep reddish-purple robe. Heady aromas of dark red cherries and berries with hints of spice and an earthy bent. Discreetly concentrated core of spiced black cherries, wrapped in big-boned, ripe tannins typical of this site, finishing with crispness and very impressive length. Considerable nuance lies within this special wine. A connoisseur's wine. Very good (+). Reviewed June 24, 2012 ARTICLE »
2009 Husch Nash Mill Vineyard Estate Bottled Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., 18 cases, $40. This winery is celebrating 40 years. The vineyard from which the grapes are sourced is located at the cool northern end of the Anderson Valley. Planted in 2003, the vineyard consists of four acres of Pinot Noir and includes clones Pommard 5 and Dijon 667 and 777. Very low yields due to frost in this vintage. · Moderately light in color in the glass. Embracing aromas of black cherries, black raspberries and woodshed picking up intensity over time in the glass. An hi-collared wine with crisp and bright flavors of dark cherries, dark red berries, cola, baking spice and Hoison sauce, wrapped in ripe, grainy tannins, finishing with an amazing persistence rarely seen in California Pinot Noir. Beautiful interplay between fruit and tannin. Class in the glass that will thoroughly please Pinot connoisseurs. Only available at klwine.com. Reviewed November 2, 2011 ARTICLE »
2007 Husch Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., $17. Aged 9 months in French oak. · Moderately deep garnet color. Red fruits including strawberries and raspberries are featured in the aromas and flavors in a lighter-weighted style with a touch of savory herbs in the background. An easy drinker with gossamer tannins and a soft mouth feel. A consistently reliable producer of value-priced Pinot Noir. Available on the website at www.huschvineyards.com and through fine retail wine stores. Reviewed September 19, 2009 ARTICLE »
2007 Husch Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., $23. · Enticing aromas of black cherries, fig, Provencal herbs and oak. A cherry bombast of moderate weight. Slightly creamy and easy to drink with fine grain tannins and a refreshing acid tang on the short finish. Consistently one of the best under $20 Pinot Noirs produced in California (full retail is $23, but it is often discounted in the retail market to $16.50-18.00). Good. Reviewed June 8, 2010 ARTICLE »
2007 Husch Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 3,938 cases, $23. To be released in June 2009. Fermented in small, open-top fermenters and punched down three times per day. Aged 10 months in 25% new French oak barrels. · Moderately light reddish-violet color. A simple but thoroughly satisfying wine featuring red berries, crushed cherries, savory herbs, tobacco, and a deft touch of oak vanillin. Terrifically smooth mouth feel with gossamer tannins. Not a wine to contemplate and won’t send pinotphiles into ecstasy, but impossible to find a better easy-drinking California Pinot Noir for this price. Great Pinot bang for the buck. Reviewed June 5, 2009 ARTICLE »
2007 Husch Estate Reserve Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., 498 cases, $35. Released in the spring 2010. Best lots in the cellar given special handling and extended aging. 25% whole cluster. Aged 15 months in 50% new French oak barrels. · Very reserved nose which fails to respond to coaxing. Medium-bodied core of cherry cola and mocha flavors with a loamy underpinning. Tight and unyielding with little charm now. Good, but could receive more accolades with another couple of years in the cellar. Reviewed June 8, 2010 ARTICLE »
2007 Husch Nash Mill Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 12 cases, $40. This is a 4-acre vineyard in the hills above Husch. · Very subdued black cherry and dark berry aromas with a hint of toasted oak and mint. Very tasty and exotic featuring impressive mid palate richness. Deliciously vivid dark berry and red plum fruits are set off nicely by judicious use of oak and silky tannins. The flavors currently trump the aromas. Very good. Reviewed June 8, 2010 ARTICLE »
2006 Husch Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 5,598 cases, $23. Aged 10 months in 25% new French oak. · This wine gives you a lot of bang for the buck. Always crafted in an elegant, easily approachable style, it has mouthwatering acidity. Red cherry and raspberry flavors are front and center with a sidecar of spice and Dr. Pepper. Reviewed June 9, 2008 ARTICLE »
2005 Husch Vineyards Knoll Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
425 cases, $38. 25% whole cluster. Aged 15 months in 50% new French oak. Not tasted. The wine is available on the website. · Reviewed June 9, 2008 ARTICLE »
2004 Husch The Knoll Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., 265 cases, $38. · This is a spirited Pinot that wows you with soft, dark fruits, a caressing texture, and sleek tannins. Plenty of style and grace. Reviewed June 3, 2007 ARTICLE »
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