Hiding in Plain Sight: Hendry Ranch Wines in Napa
Hendry Estate is a true hidden gem and one of my favorite places in all of Napa Valley. The wines are great, the views are beautiful, the surroundings calm and serene. But perhaps more importantly than any of those things, spending an hour or two at Hendry is like stepping back into a bygone era of Napa Valley. An era when multigenerational farming families worked the land together. An era when specific blocks of land were planted to varieties that made the most sense for quality and expression of place rather than an economic calculation of what variety would yield the highest return on investment.
This estate is truly one of the historic gems of the valley. It’s situated on an elevated western bench above the town of Napa, at the foot of Mt. Veeder. The vineyard essentially combines elements of Carneros, Oak Knoll, and Mt. Veeder into one. Some parts of the estate see significant cooling from the nearby San Pablo Bay. Some blocks are steep with extremely rocky, volcanic soils, much more akin to the mountain terroir of Veeder. The Hendry family bought the ranch in 1939. Drew Hendry, who is now 10, is the fourth generation to live on the ranch. He is already working right alongside his dad, Mike Hendry, who runs the farming of the property with their full-time vineyard crew, many of whom have worked on the estate for decades and live on property.
There have been vines on the property since the mid-1800s. However, the vast majority was wiped out by Phylloxera in the late 1800s. The last pre-Prohibition block that survived was replanted when the current vineyard was laid out in the early 1970s. The estate is home to some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in all of Napa, a stunning block of Wente Clone Chardonnay planted in 1974. There are also several original blocks of 1974 planted Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit from these Cabernet blocks has long been highly sought after, even back in the late 70s and early 80s when it was argued over and grapes split between Robert Mondavi’s Reserve Cabernet and the newly established Opus One!
The estate also has Zinfandel from 1975 and then another whole array of blocks planted in 1995-1997 including Petit Verdot, Cab Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Albarino, and more. After decades of selling their fruit to many of the top wineries in the region, the Hendry family decided to take the leap into making their own wines in 1992. Very small amounts at first sold to family and friends, gradually ramping up until in 2000 a modern, gravity-flow winery was built on the property styled around the dimensions and layout of the cellar at Opus One. The 2001 harvest was crushed in the newly completed winery, and now every part of the estate operation is controlled in house and on property.
Considering all the points I’ve just outlined, you might think these incredible, estate-grown, old-vine, critically acclaimed wines are expensive… but think again! The other thing that is so incredible about the Hendry wines is that they’re very affordable and deliver some of the absolute best value for money in a region known for exorbitant pricing. And so, here are our most recent offering from Hendry:
2023 Hendry "Estate" Napa Valley Albariño $22.95 It’s not often you see Napa Valley Albariño, however Hendry’s cooler climate blocks and salty sea air influence of fog and wind means the estate produces a beautifully crisp, refreshing, mineral-driven Albariño that has a real following among those in the know!
2022 Hendry "Estate - Barrel Fermented" Napa Valley Chardonnay $34.95 Sourced predominantly from the 1974 Wente selection plantings with some “younger” vine fruit from the 1992 and 1996 Dijon clone blocks. The wine is fermented in French oak, around one-third new oak, but malolactic fermentation is limited to retain a bright acidity and focus to balance the old vine fruit’s natural concentration and power. A lovely flinty mineral streak leads into powerful orchard fruit notes, powdery white flowers, spicy oak tones, pie crust, rock dust, hints of nut brittle. Powerful, but long and linear on the palate with great freshness.
2020 Hendry "Estate" Napa Valley Proprietary Red $39.95 95WE A classically styled Bordeaux blend comprising 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Petit Verdot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Malbec, and 13% Merlot. The wine ages in 50-70% new French oak for 18 months. The wine is powerful, with an inky concentration. Redolent with dark berry fruits, mulberry, plum, some redcurrant, too. Fruit driven but with some lovely dried herb and cigar box notes also. Layered, balanced, and satisfying.
2019 Hendry "Estate" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 59.95 94JS 94WE 93WS This wine shows the real power and potential of this estate. I spoke with an ex-Mondavi winemaker a few years ago and he told me for many years Hendry fruit was used to bolster much of their estate-grown Oakville fruit as it added such a dense structural core to the wine. Aromas and flavors of blackcurrant, mulberry, leather, cocoa powder, toasted oak. Potent and rich with tons of fruit, but never loses its varietal expression despite the ripe, powerful style.
2021 Hendry "Blocks 7 & 22" Napa Valley Zinfandel $34.95 95WE This bottling comes from two of the best blocks on the property, one planted in 1975 the other in 1995. One parcel sits on the lower part of the bench with heavier silty soils, the other on the steepest section right at the base of Veeder with very rocky soils. They combine to create a lovely expression of Zinfandel with brambly deep red fruits, boysenberry, new leather, loamy earth, and chaparral. Full bodied and rich, but not jammy or sweet. With Zinfandel like this it's a real shame there isn't more of the variety left in Napa.
2022 Mike & Molly Hendry "R.W. Moore Vineyard" Napa Valley Zinfandel $29.95 (EW $45) 93WA You might have noticed a slight name change here on this bottle. This wine is not actually grown at Hendry Ranch. However, it is farmed and made by Mike Hendry and comes from another historic property with a deep connection to the family. The R.W. Moore Vineyard in Coombsville is owned by Mike's wife Molly's family. This incredible jewel of a vineyard was planted in 1905. For many years the fruit was taken by Turley Cellars and bottled as the Earthquake Vineyard. A classic head-trained, dry-farmed field blend of most Zin with a scattering of interplanted varietals including Petite Sirah, Carignane, Mourvèdre, and Mourtaou. The 2022 bottling is soft, lush, and explosive on the palate. Blackberry, cherry liquor, alpine herbs, warm earth tones, sassafras, and baking spice. Full bodied but with great lift and freshness. A worthy expression of this legendary site.