Hawks Hill Ranch Vineyard
The vibrant chaos of farming is the miracle behind the distinctive and memorable wines of Hawks Hill Ranch Vineyard in Paso Robles, CA.
Hawks Hill Vineyard, Our Story.
In the scenic westside hills of the Adelaida District AVA lies Hawks Hill Vineyard, the foundation of our story at Hawks Hill Ranch Winery. We understand that true excellence originates in the vineyard, and it is here that our commitment to quality takes root.
At Hawks Hill Vineyard in Paso Robles, we embrace a balanced farming philosophy, allowing nature to lead us towards enhancing the caliber of our grapes. Our identity begins with being growers, placing immense value on the wisdom of neighboring vineyards, our community, and the winemakers who skillfully craft wines with our fruit.
By incorporating a harmonious blend of age-old and contemporary insights, including biodynamic farming, sustainability, and practical wisdom, we honor the traditions while embracing innovation.
Despite all the preparation or expert advice we might have, Mother Nature will always decide the final product. We believe the chaos of farming is the miracle of viticulture and is what creates unique and magical wine.
With the goal not to force or manipulate this natural growing process, but to enhance what is already happening in the vineyard and showcase the intricacies in our final product.
Our 240-acre estate at Hawks Hill Ranch offers a rare variety of soil types, slope orientations, and microclimates that are not often found in a single vineyard.
The remarkable elevation change spanning 1,000 feet throughout our vineyard brings about temperature fluctuations of up to 20 degrees, infusing our grapes with complexity and depth. Despite our meticulous preparation and expert guidance, Mother Nature always has the final say. We perceive the challenges of farming as an integral part of the viticultural art, yielding wines that truly exemplify the unique character of Paso Robles.
Our sprawling 240-acre estate boasts an exceptional array of soil types, slope orientations, and microclimates, a rare combination seldom found in a single vineyard. This complexity lies at the heart of our mission at Hawks Hill Ranch—to capture the intricate essence commonly associated with multiple AVAs. With a long-term perspective and a gentle touch, we remain steadfast in our dedication to crafting exceptional wines that pay homage to the land and safeguard the vitality of our vineyard for generations to come.
Our vision is to take a balanced approach to farming, allowing nature to guide us in enhancing the quality of our fruit. We prioritize being growers first and winemakers second. Our farming techniques are inspired by various practices we have learned from our neighbors, friends, and the winemakers who purchase our fruit.
We combine this knowledge, drawing from old-world and new-world techniques, and strive to balance modern science, biodynamic farming, sustainability, and common sense. With a 1000-foot difference in elevation, temperatures in our vineyard can differ by as much as 20 degrees in various locations.
It's important for us that Hawks Hill Ranch wines capture the complexity of this unique landscape, showcasing layers of character that would typically be associated with multiple American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). Our long-term approach involves gentle guidance to achieve our goal of producing the highest quality wines while maintaining sustainable practices that ensure the longevity of our vineyard.
Block 1
Varietal: Syrah
Clone: Alban
Planted: 2006
Elevation: 2000′
Acreage: .3 acres
Trellis: Head trained, 9’ x 5’ spacing
Exposure: Equal north, east and south facing, hilltop cap
Wineries: HHR (Dark Pool)
Block 2
Varietal: Syrah
Clone: Alban
Planted: 2006
Elevation: 1500‘-1900’
Acreage: 2.7 acres
Trellis: Head trained, 9’ x 5’ spacing
Exposure: East facing, 25% grade
Wineries: Torrin, HHR (Dark Pool & Liquidity)
Block 3
Varietal: Syrah
Clone: Alban
Planted: 2006
Elevation:1100′-1500′
Acreage: 1.8 acres
Trellis: Head trained, 9’ x 5’ spacing, dry farmed
Exposure: North facing with north/south rows.
Wineries: Modus Operandi, HHR (Liquidity)
Block 4
Varietal: Grenache
Clone: Alban
Planted: 2013
Elevation: 1900‘
Acreage: .7 acres
Trellis: Head trained, 7’ x 4’ spacing
Exposure: West facing, 20% grade
Wineries: HHR (Liquidity)
Block 5
Varietal: Grenache
Clone: Alban
Planted: 2019
Elevation: 1800′
Acreage: .3 acres
Trellis: Head trained, 7’ x 4’ spacing
Exposure: West facing
Wineries: HHR (Standard Deviation)
Blocks 6-9
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Clone: FPS 47 (French clone 337)
Planted: 2015
Elevation: 1300‘-1900′
Acreage: 4.6 acres
Trellis: Cane pruned, 8’ x 3’ spacing
Exposure: South facing, 30% grade
Wineries: Booker
Block 10
Varietal: Mourvèdre
Clone: 2.1
Planted: 2015
Elevation: 1200‘-1300′
Acreage: 1.5 acres
Trellis: Head trained, 8’ x 4’ spacing
Exposure: Southwest facing, oak forest shaded
Wineries: HHR (TBD)
Block 11-12
Varietal: Zinfandel
Clone: Ueberroth
Planted: 2009
Elevation: 1300′-1900’
Acreage: 6.1 acres
Trellis: Head trained, 9’ x 6’ spacing
Exposure: South facing
Wineries: NFW, Serial
Block 13
Varietal: Grenache
Clone: Alban 2
Planted: 2022
(replant over original Zin from ’09)
Elevation: 1500′-1900’
Acreage: 1.2 acres
Trellis: Head trained, 9’ x 6’ spacing
Exposure: Southwest facing
Wineries: TBD, first crop in ’24 or ‘25
Block 14, 16, 17
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Clone: 337 & Palmer
Planted: 2009
Elevation: 1300‘ – 1800
Acreage: 9.2 acres
Trellis: Cane pruned, 8’ x 5’ spacing
Exposure: Southwest facing, furthest west plantings on property
Wineries: HHR (Fat Finger), Robert Hall, Booker
Block 15
Varietal: Syrah
Clone: French 887 & 174, Alban 2
Planted: 2022 (replant of the grafted Syrah from 2013)
Elevation: 1400‘-1500′
Acreage: 1.3 acres
Trellis: Cane pruned, 7’ x 3’ spacing
Exposure: South facing
Wineries: TBD, first crop in ’24 or ‘25