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Why it Matters

Wine is Made to Be Shared

We take a consistent, hands-on, Old World approach to winemaking. Our goal is simple: make wines that age well, pair well with food and become part of the occasion.

We focus on balance, elegance and finesse rather than richness and power. We believe the best bottles are the ones that are empty at the end of the evening, the ones that have a story and create a connection, rather than the ones that collect scores and ratings.

Our aim is consistency from vintage to vintage across the generations, so our patrons know what to expect when they open a bottle of Hafner wine.

We Make What We Grow

Every Hafner wine is made from grapes we grow ourselves here in Alexander Valley, made here at the winery and bottled by us. This is what allows our wines to carry the designation “estate bottled.”

Winemaker Parke  Hafner has been making wine from this same vineyard for more than four decades. He knows the property intimately and works closely with Vineyard Manager David Huebel and the vineyard team, combining generations of experience with their knowledge of the vines.

Because we farm our own vineyard, we have the ability to decide exactly how our grapes are grown and which blocks go into each wine. Of our 96 acres of vines, we sell about half of our grapes each year, allowing us to select the blocks we believe are best suited to our own wines.

An Old World Approach

Our winemaking is rooted in traditional Old World techniques, influenced by Parke's time making wine in Burgundy, France.

Harvest begins with tasting. Parke, his wife Sarah and daughter Grace taste the grapes together to determine when to pick. We look for flavor, balance and maturity rather than relying on a single measurement to tell us when to harvest. This allows us to make wines that reflect the vineyard while maintaining the consistency that our patrons have come to expect.

Because Hafner wines are sold directly to our patrons and to a small number of top California restaurants, we don't make our wines to follow broad market trends. We have the freedom to stay true to the style we have developed over generations.

made to age

We give our wines time.

Hafner wines are aged longer than many wines before release because we believe patience is an important part of winemaking. Our wines spend time in primarily French oak barrels in our wine caves, where naturally cool temperatures provide a steady environment for aging.

The purpose of the barrel is not to impart an obvious oak flavor. Instead, the slow evaporation, gentle oxygen exchange and regular topping and lees stirring allow the wine to develop gradually, softening and gaining complexity over time. 

In the caves, all barrels are hand-stacked and aligned by a level and string, a reminder to slow down and appreciate the art and craft of winemaking. 

Wine Is Meant to Be Enjoyed

Our wines are not made simply to be tasted and evaluated, but instead they are made to be opened, shared and enjoyed around a table.

We enjoy opening older Hafner vintages ourselves. They remind us why we are patient in the cellar. With time, the wines become softer, more complex and more connected to their place and vintage.

We want our patrons to have that same experience, which is why we release Library vintages throughout the year for those who enjoy wines with some age.

For us, enjoying wine with friends and family is what matters most.

Our tasting notes

Every year, we taste Library vintages of our wines and share how we find them to be tasting. 

Below are our notes. 

We want to hear what you think. Feel free to share your thoughts on a vintage with us or better yet send us a photo. Email us here. 
We always enjoy hearing from patrons. You are the experts! 

Vintage Tasting Notes

Great wine begins in the vineyard

We grow all our own grapes, giving us the care and control to make the best wines we can.

Wine Questions & Answers

Aging & Storing Wines

Enjoying & Serving Wines

About Hafner Winemaking

We want to hear from you!

Share your thoughts

We always enjoy hearing what wine patrons open and how they found it drinking.
You can either send us a message here or email us directly.
We look forward to hearing from you!