Freeman Winery

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. When the opportunity arose for Freeman to start working with Hawk Hill fruit, we jumped at the chance.

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, and their care shines through in the grapes each year.

This is Freeman’s fourth vintage of Hawk Hill Chardonnay, following a successful harvest on the Sonoma Coast. The year was a welcome return to normal after the smoky 2020 vintage, when we decided not to make a 2020 Hawk Hill Chardonnay due to the threat of smoke taint. In 2021, Sonoma County wine country was spared from wildfires and smoke for the first time since 2017. This was a classic year in terms of weather, with warm spells followed by cool and foggy periods. This pattern repeated itself from May through September. We harvested fruit for the 2021 Hawk Hill Chardonnay on October 4—our final fruit of the year.

With aromas of white peaches, nutmeg and Fuji apples, our brilliantly  clear and light straw-colored 2021 Hawk Hill Chardonnay drinks like a French Chablis from a ripe year. The crisp acidity and enticing stone fruit flavors evolve with air to reveal a wonderful yet subtle caramel component. The finish is incredibly long with plenty of fruit and refreshing tartness. The wine will be at its best from 2023 through 2028.