2020 Hamel Family Wines Stratum Red Wine Sonoma Valley 750 ml

It’s telling that John Hamel’s official title is “Director of Winegrowing.”

Despite having his finger on the pulse of every aspect of Hamel Estate—his parents founded the winery, and John is at the wheel today—his focus is firmly on the vines in the ground. Plant vines in exceptional terroir, farm them with the highest level of care, and great wine will inevitably follow.

That’s why Hamel is the only California client for “Dr. Terroir” Pedro Parra, a geologist and winemaker who’s made a name for himself as the Michel Rolland of vineyard dirt. As Parra has reached international superstar status, he’s halved his client list to only the most interesting, worthwhile wineries, like $1,000/bottle legends Roulot in France and Comando G in Spain. Hamel is the only Golden State estate to make the cut.

The changes have been profound since Parra came aboard. Hamel Estate has dug over 100 soil pits, drawn samples, and created new maps of their vineyards, which capture the tiny changes in parent rock and topsoil beyond what the USGS ever charted. They’ve also started harvesting a half-acre at a time, allowing the team to capture the differences in ripeness and character precisely, even within a block.

If that weren’t enough, Hamel is now one of the rare California producers to dry-farm almost all of their vineyards—over 80% of their vines don’t see a drop of irrigation. Dry farming is a daring thing to do in a dry region like Sonoma, and most wineries don’t do it because it can slash yields. But the practice drives roots deep into the ground, increasing complexity and concentrating berries. Hamel also farms according to organic and biodynamic principles to squeeze out every last iota of quality. 

The Stratum is based on Hamel’s prized Nuns Canyon Vineyard, which sits on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas in the (aptly named) Moon Mountain AVA. It’s fast becoming one of the premier appellations for Cabernet in the region, and its altitude (rising up from 1,200 feet) and rocky soils create grapes with thick skins and beautiful vibrancy. 

John Hamel and his associate winemaker, Maura Kinsella navigated the 2020 season perfectly, and this wine is an absolute stunner.