David Hirsch pioneered Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, going on a hunch that the unique geology and climate would produce great wine. He was right. The Hirsch Vineyard, just above Fort Ross and a few miles northeast of where the Russian River spills into the Pacific, gained a reputation for producing distinct, high quality Pinot. For the first 20 years David was solely a farmer, selling his fruit to Sonoma's top names, including Kistler and Williams Seylem. But ultimately he decided that the best way to show the true expression of his terroir was to make his own wine, which he started doing in 2002. Since then the team at Hirsch and a few top winemakers have worked together to craft some of the very best Pinot Noir made in Sonoma, or anywhere in the U.S.
What elevates Hirsch Pinot Noir above many of it's regional neighbors is a combination of "tied to the land" farming integrity and true respect for the best ideas and wines both in California and throughout the world. David Hirsch is a grower, and just like the very best vignerons anywhere he is concerned with the vineyard and its complex and interdependent geology, biology and agronomy.
But winemaking matters too, and the Hirsch team has hired some of California’s most talented winemakers over the years to help transfer this terroir into the glass. Now that baton has been handed to none other than Jasmine Hirsch, David’s daughter.
Jasmine grew up in the vineyards. She has spent countless hours with her father and the vineyard management team over the years, learning the ins and outs of farming and gaining first hand knowledge of the relationship between the soil, the plants and the wine. This sort of inter-generational understanding of the vines is a key to success of top estates in Europe, and a rare gift here in California.
Almost everyone who is even tangentially involved in the wine industry knows Jasmine. Since 2008 she has been the director of Sales and Marketing for Hirsch, traveling tirelessly all over the world to promote the wines. In 2015 she took over as GM of Hirsch Vineyards, and in 2019 she assumed the role of head winemaker. Jasmine is one of the smartest and hardest working people in the wine world, and we’re blessed to count her as a friend.
