Halleck Vineyard was planted in 1993 in the hills of Sebastopol in western Sonoma County. Jennifer and Ross Halleck, owners and vintners began Halleck Vineyards as a college fund for their sons. In 2002, they earned #1 Pinot in the United States for the first wine from the Estate.
The one acre site of Halleck Vineyard is perched above the Russian River watershed and flanked by the west by the slopes to the Pacfic Ocean. It commands an expansive view of rolling Sonoma County hills to the northeast and at 900 feet, it is one of the highest vineyards in Sonoma County. During the second half of the growing season, coastal fog invades the landscape every afternoon. This cool weather allows the fruit to mature slowly and the flavors to intensify. The Indian Summer heat in late September through October spikes the ripening and sugar levels at the last moment for perfect harvest conditions.
Halleck Vineyards is not a stranger to award winning wines. In 2019, Halleck Vineyard was again judged “BEST OF CLASS” in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, which is the largest in North America. Sunset Magazine anointed the Sauvignon Blanc “BEST OF CLASS” in the United States and the California State Fair judged the Dry Gewurztraminer #1 White Wine in California.
The 2019 Dry Gewurztraminer is a wine of beauty. Crafted from highly aromatic white wine grapes this wine carries a floral nose. I fell in love with this wine the minute I tasted it. Gewurztraminer is commonly known for its sweetness but this Russian River Valley verison is crisp and dry. The flavors of lychee, rose petals, and a hint of vanilla start off your palate. There are bright gentle acids that blend with minerality offering a touch of floral and ginger with a lingering cleansing finish of fine spice.
This is the perfect wine for white wine lovers to pair with their Thanksgiving Turkey. The spice and nutty flavors in your turkey will pair amazing with the Dry Gewurztraminer. As you enjoy your bird you will be tantalized with touches of chestnut and fine spice. I mean, the German word gewurtz literally means spiced!
Jennie Kaplan Woodson – November 2020
Bacchus & Venus Wines 