Website: https://kanzlervineyards.com/
Kanzler is a relatively new boutique winery in the Sebastopol Hills of the Russian River Valley, run by Alex Kanzler and his wife Breauna. They’ve just opened a stunning new tasting room, and after a tour of the vineyard with Alex I tasted through some of their wines in the new facility.
The story begins when Alex’ parents moved down from Washington State in 1994. The property they bought was an abandoned Gravenstein apple orchard. They initially planted a couple of hectares of raspberries, but on advice from their neighbours ended putting in 15 acres of vines in 1996, making them one of the pioneers of the Sebastopol Hills.
For a long time these grapes were sold to high-end winery clients such as Kosta Browne, Landmark, Gary Farrell, Rhys and Rivers Marie. They still sell around 40% of their grapes, but since 2004 have been making wines under the Kanzler label in increasing amounts.
The first experiment with winemaking was in 2002, when Alex’ dad Steve made wine from half a ton of grapes. Two years later it was tasting good and they served it at Alex’ sister’s wedding. The same year, 2004, was the first commercial vintage, with 12 barrels of wine made from four tons of grapes.
Alex began getting involved in 2008, and took over winemaking duties in 2011. He’d done vintage at Landmark, and in 2009 headed to Central Otago in New Zealand to do vintage with Carrick. Later that year he did vintage at Domaine Serene in Oregon, and in 2010 he worked with Kosta Browne.
The farming? No herbicide is used, and some organic fertlilizer is applied. They are losing a few vines to gophers and also vine decline. In the 2024 season they have used irrigation just once (this was in mid-July when I visited), and they don’t do a lot of leaf removal. Spacing is 5 x 8 foot, with some 4 x 8 foot, and all the vines are cane pruned.
We also took a trip to see the impressively situated Mes Filles vineyard, which they make a single-vineyard wine from. It’s also in the Sebastopol Hills, but sitting atop the crown of a hill that reaches 500 feet, this has a different climate as it’s quite exposed to cool air and winds. The vineyard, owned by David Gensler, was planted to Pinot Noir in 1998 and is 9 acres. This is on the border with the Sonoma Coast AVA.
In the winery, Alex will sometimes inoculate, especially if there is a lot of whole bunch. He doesn’t use many additives such as nutrient. The Russian River Valley wine is about 25% new oak, and the vineyard designates are about 40% new oak. All wines are over-vintaged, and racked first time before bottling.
Production of Kanzler wines is just 2500 cases, with one Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Noir. As well as working with grapes from their own vineyard they also source from others for both the entry cuvée and the single-vineyard wines.
THE WINES
Kanzler Walker Station Chardonnay 2022 Russian River Valley, Sonoma
One acre of Montrachet clone Chardonnay that they lease from the Walker Station in Green Valley. One pick, one pressload, one group of barrels. Whole cluster pressed then straight into barrels, filled to the top to avoid an oxidative character with ethyl acetate. Then when fermentation begins they rack and return to barrel with low fill for fermentation to take place. All 500 litre puncheons, 2 out of 4 new. Taut and focused with lovely crystalline citrus fruit, with some pear and white peach, with good acidity. Stylish and linear with nice tension. 94/100
Kanzler Pinot Noir 2022 Russian River Valley, Sonoma
This is made every year, the business card, and is a blend of all the vineyards they work with. 6% whole bunch because of the hot vintage, which meant a lot of stuff came off early. This is ripe and expressive but really fresh with bright black cherry and blackberry fruit. Nice focus and precision with hints of olive and spice adding a nice savoury dimension to the fruit. Lovely textural weight here, combined with freshness. 94/100
Kanzler Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2021 Russian River Valley, Sonoma
Barrel select from the estate: we want it to be terroir-driven and show the vineyard and the vintage. Tends to have more oak, more tannin and more acid, as well as more whole bunch. This has lovely density but also elegance with brooding black fruits, showing sappy, floral detail and lovely energy. Very fine with good structure and floral overtones, showing potential for development as well as immediate pleasure. Such a textural wine with lovely intensity and finesse. 96/100
Kanzler Mes Filles Pinot Noir 2021 Russian River Valley, Sonoma
Wonderfully floral aromatics here with red cherries, some warm spices and hints of garrigue. Lovely red fruit notes as well as a touch of black cherry, with a grainy tannic structure. There’s a nice ghost of reduction here with elegance and purity, and a compact linear personality. 96/100