Hawk Hill Chardonnay

This is Freeman’s sixth vintage of Hawk Hill Chardonnay. When we first visited Hawk Hill in the early 2000s, we admired the vineyard’s proximity to Freestone and the cool influence of the nearby coast. The rolling hills where the vineyard lies are blanketed by morning fog and cooling afternoon winds, which allow the grapes to benefit from some of the longest hang times in California. Aside from the challenges of higher humidity due to the fog, the site is ideal for growing perfectly balanced Chardonnay.

Hawk Hill’s owners Margaret and Bill Yarak do a brilliant job of farming the vineyard with the help of Arturo Robledo and Greg Adams. When the opportunity arose for Freeman to work with Hawk Hill Chardonnay, we jumped at the chance.

The Hawk Hill Chardonnay is almost always Freeman’s last fruit of the vintage to be harvested, and this was especially true in 2023. After four years of less-than-average rainfall, the winter of 2022–2023 was a recordbreaker for rain in many areas. Not only was it a wet winter, it was also a cold one; as a result, vines got off to a very late start in early April. The perfect spring, summer and fall weather led to a long, even growing season, but this meant we wouldn’t be able to harvest Hawk Hill until the second half of October. Despite the delay, we were thrilled with the way the Chardonnay ripened at a lower Brix, with plenty of acidity.

The long growing season of 2023 resulted in one of most flavorful Hawk Hill Chardonnays we have ever produced. The fruit-forward and spicy nose evokes Granny Smith apple, Bosc pear, honeysuckle, ginger and cardamom. Refreshingly high acidity on the palate is surrounded by well-balanced flavors that mirror the aromas. Thanks to the wine’s long finish, we expect the ’23 Hawk Hill Chardonnay to drink well for several years. The best window should be from late 2024 through 2030.

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