22 Feb Langhart-Hill Wines
Langhart-Hill Wines
480 Foreman Lane, Healdsburg, CA 95448
langhartrhill.com
Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma
Owner: Dennis Hill
Winemaker: Dennis Hill
About: After decades of successful professional winemaking, our owner-winemaker, Dennis Hill, has shifted his focus to producing a few esoteric wine styles and rare grape varieties. Many grapes are estate-grown in the Russian River Valley near Healdsburg. Dennis is not beholden to one specific wine style but prefers to appreciate the great diversity of all wines. One will find both classic and obscure wines and varieties within the Langhart & Hill and Rumpelstiltskin portfolio.
What is your favorite undiscovered grape? Dobričić is one of the darkest, most tannic grapes on the planet. My goal is to make a more approachable but complex red wine that shows character. Dobričić is the specialty of Šolta, the Croatian island in the Adriatic, from where my grandfather immigrated 100 years ago.
What was your first experience with an undiscovered grape? Malvasia Bianca and its siblings are a large and ancient variety(s) grown in many regions of the world and make a wide range of wines, including the sweet Malmsey and other Madeira wines. It does well in warm regions and makes profoundly aromatic wines. What surprised me was the great complexity and vibrancy it can make in more mild climates, showing citrus, honeysuckle, and minerality.
What do you love most about the undiscovered grapes? Undiscovered grapes allow me to make something completely new and discover its qualities and characteristics. When we quit learning, life is no longer fun.
