When Nicky Hahn first purchased land in Monterey County’s Santa Lucia Highlands in the late 1970s, he quickly sensed the potential of the region to produce world-class wines. With only a few grape harvests behind him, he spearheaded the effort to have the Santa Lucia Highlands designated as an official appellation.
Today, the Hahn family still owns Hahn Estate and continues to lead in this prestigious region best known for its Pinot Noirs. Hahn Estate now produces a broad portfolio of wines including Lucienne, Hahn, and Smith & Hook.
The family has also made stewardship of the estate a top priority. The winery was the first in the Northern Central Coast area to be certified green by the Monterey Bay Area Green Business program. In 2010, Hahn’s estate vineyards attained Certified Sustainable status through the Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Vineyard Certification program.
The winery’s tasting room can be found up a winding drive, where guests are greeted with wines that are as stunning as the panoramic views. For private and special events, Hahn’s Vineyard House stands nearby. Guests will enjoy the beautifully appointed dining room that opens out to an expansive deck and splendid views. This is a great venue for a party, local chef’s dinner, or other event that is part of the winery’s fully integrated epicurean program overseen by Estate Chef Dyon Foster, who contends that Hahn is one of the most unique and diverse places in all of California. Everyone who visits the estate is quick to agree.
In fact, savvy visitors know to make a reservation in advance for an Estate ATV Adventure, offered twice daily. Groups of up to nine climb aboard one of Hahn’s ATVs with a member of the Hospitality team for an incredible tour into the upper reaches of the estate followed by a visit to the wine cellar and a Reserve Tasting in the winery’s VIP room.
AN INTERVIEW WITH ESTATE CHEF DYON FOSTER
T&T: As the Santa Lucia Highland’s only full-time winery chef, what inspires you about the wines of this unique appellation?
DF: The Santa Lucia Highlands are absolutely unique in their beauty, climate, soils, and geography. Each vineyard, block, and clone have their own character and all of these aspects come together like so many instruments in an orchestra to produce the world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that the region has become known for. At Hahn, we are truly fortunate to have 650 acres of vineyards in the Highlands, with almost all of that acreage devoted to Pinot and Chard. Our winemaker, Paul Clifton, is a master at making wines that reflect this sense of place; working with wines that are balanced and suffused with so many layers of flavors that pairing them with food is an absolute joy for me.
T&T: Now that your kitchen has been remodeled, what kinds of culinary offerings can guests expect from Hahn Estate?
DF: Our remodeled kitchen makes it possible for our culinary team to put together something as simple as a picnic lunch for two or turn around and plate a five-course, white-tablecloth dinner for 40. With the equipment and room that we now have, we can truly show the amazing synergy that results when a great wine is paired with a dish created specifically for it.
T&T: What other components do you have to your culinary program?
DF: Over the last year we have been working hard in our Chef’s Garden. It’s a nice little plot of land with six beds dedicated to growing organic vegetables and herbs. My goal over the next year is to have 80 percent of our produce used in the culinary program grown on our estate, and source only local produce for large festivals and events that would leave our little garden looking as though Napoleon had just marched through it. Nothing compares to dishes that were prepared with just-picked vegetables and herbs. In addition to the Chef’s Garden, we have lemon, lime, orange, pomelo, and avocado trees on the estate that contribute to many of my dishes.
For more information, please visit: hahnwines.com