I’m always both thrilled and cautious when I have wine samples from a new-to-me winery to review. Today it’s samples from Hamilton Family Wines. I received a press release from their public relations agent – and a handwritten note from Greg and Lindsay Hamilton – ahead of the wine so I knew a few things. Interesting to me is that the Hamiltons got through the 2017 wildfires in Sonoma, released their first vintage of organic wines two years later, and a tasting room two years after that:
Hamilton Family Wines “truly capture the spirit of Sonoma Valley. Hamilton Family Wines is the toast of the region, crafting small-vineyard wines that are rich in texture, balanced, and imbued with a genuine sense of place.
Husband-and-wife team Greg and Lindsay Hamilton pursued their dream of opening a small winery despite losing their home and young vineyard in the 2017 wildfires. They released the first vintage of Hamilton Family Wines in 2019 and opened their tasting room in 2021, inviting guests to experience both the wines and the land that shaped them.”
The press release is below, with details on these two wines and more, but before I share that let me share my tasting notes:
Wine Tasting
2024 Sauvignon Blanc
Golden hay color; with aromas that reminded me of cut cantaloupe melon, picking up a yellow peach at an organic market, freshly zested lemon, lemon hard candy, wet stone and minerals; the mouthfeel was rich with a medium acidity, lots of orange and lemon citrus giving both sweet and tart notes, very nicely balanced. I opened the wine at 5 pm, reviewed on its own. Then had it with a chicken Caesar salad at home at 6pm. At 7 pm we had our last sips. I’m not a huge SB fan because of the acidity but I marveled at how well this one did over time. I think they call that good fruit. 🙂
2025 Rose of Grenache
Greeted by the color of dark peaches, with slight salmon as well; on the nose I immediately got strawberry – both fresh and in a fruit jelly – as well as ripe peach, lemon zest and wet river rock; the taste was zesty, with a great mouthfeel and notes of fresh red fruit as well as citrus fruit, Granny Smith apple, with a nice minerality, medium acid and medium finish. If you have to put a Rose in a category of porch pounder or beach party, this will work, but I prefer to enjoy it the way we did: on our back patio enjoying a sunset equal to the colors of the wine, and our happy moods for having discovered it.
Hamilton Family Wines Feel Right at Home on Dinner Tables Nationwide
Great wine starts with great fruit, which is why Hamilton Family Wines partners with a small, trusted group of growers and carefully selects the best sites for each varietal (cooler pockets for Pinot Noir, warmer exposures for Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhône varieties). The team stays closely involved in vineyard management to ensure perfectly ripe, expressive fruit at harvest.
All fruit is organically managed, with bottles labeled by vineyard or appellation. They also farm three small estates: Hamilton Family Vineyard in Kenwood (Grenache), 6 Maidens Vineyard in Bennett Valley (Pinot Noir), and McGraw Vineyard in Glen Ellen (Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre (GSM), and Sauvignon Blanc).
Best Sellers and Award-Winning:
- 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, Lyon Vineyard ($38/bottle) – Gold Medal Winner. Coming from a certified organic and biodynamic vineyard, this Sauvignon Blanc is light, bright, and delightful. Stone fruit and floral notes on the nose morphing to zesty citrus on the palate. Bursting with crisp acidity, the fully-dry mouthfeel is accentuated by a gravel-bed minerality.
- 2023 GSM, Windsor Oaks Vineyard ($69/bottle) – Gold Medal Winner. Rich red fruits, including plum, are foremost on the nose, followed by marzipan and cocoa nib. This complex, but approachable, red blend has many layers but ends with a lingering blackberry jam. 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre.
- 2025 Rosé of Grenache ($38/bottle) – 2024 Vintage is also a Gold Medal Winner. Sourced from its organically farmed vineyard, this favorite has a beautiful rose-gold color with a summer berry & citrus bouquet. Raspberry & mandarin on the nose followed by tropical fruit and citrus on the palate. Bright and juicy acidity stars in this deliciously refreshing summer sipper.
- Wine Club
- Receive hand-selected bottles (or customize a preferred selection) of their favorite wines delivered to your doorstep.
- Growers Wine Club (six bottles sent twice per year).
- Enjoy exclusive perks:
- Members enjoy six bottles twice a year
- 15% discount on all wines; 50% off shipping rates
- Gain access to member-only, small production wines, complimentary tastings, and invitations to launches and events.
- Approximately $300 per shipment.
For more information, visit hamilton.wine or contact jackie@teamchicexecs.com.
About Hamilton Family Wines:
Hamilton Family Wines is a family-owned winery in Sonoma Valley, California, crafting small-lot, organically managed wines that are native fermented and minimally processed to showcase each vineyard and vintage. The winery farms three estate vineyards — Hamilton Family Vineyard in Kenwood (Grenache), 6 Maidens Vineyard in Bennett Valley (Pinot Noir), and McGraw Vineyard in Glen Ellen (Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre (GSM), and Sauvignon Blanc) — and partners with select growers to produce wines that reflect the character of the land. Follow us on Instagram @hamiltonfamilywines.
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards since 2022 (submit via https://proofawards.com) Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. Follow on Instagram and Facebook.
