About Us:
Artisan Family Winery
High Risk, High Reward Wines
Led by acclaimed winemaker Jeff Stewart, our team has a singular focus: craft delicious wines with loads of personality. Often, this means choosing vineyards in the most difficult locations — steep slopes, windy bluffs or foggy valleys — where yields are low but the fruit is intensely flavored. We take the risk that in some vintages the adversity the vine faces will be so extreme we may not be able to make a wine from that site – but the reward of a more complex, exciting & dynamic wine on the years you can is too good to pass up!
You see "character through adversity" doesn't just apply to people; challenging growing conditions stress the vines to deliver high personality wines.
Hartford Family Winery was founded in 1994 by Don and Jennifer Hartford, a reflection of their admiration of the wines, the people and the exceptional vineyards near their Russian River Valley home.
Located in the little Sonoma County town of Forestville, they chose a winery site nestled in the Redwoods just 15 miles from the cool Pacific Coast.
Single Vineyard & Limited Bottlings
Each year, we make over 30 single-vineyard bottlings from across as many as 7 distinct American Viticultural Areas. Our winemaking team uses artisan techniques to highlight the unique character of each vineyard site, producing beautiful and unique wines with a sense of place. Each of these wines are highly allocated. Some of our limited production Hartford Court Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays can total as few as 93 cases, up to about 600 cases. Likewise, our Hartford Old Vine Zinfandels are produced in small quantities averaging about 300 cases per bottling.
Russian River Valley Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Zinfandel
Alongside our small vineyard-designated bottlings, we also craft Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Noir under the Russian River Valley appellation. Sourced from a handful of vineyards each season, these Russian River Valley Cuvées offer a broader expression of the appellation each vintage and can be found in some of the world's most prestigious restaurants and wine shops.
Our Varietals
The People of Hartford
Led by members of the Hartford Family, our talented team is the beating heart of the winery. With many of our staff having been here for years, the close-knit group enjoys a communal commitment to excellence and enjoyment.
We invite you to learn more about our family and staff, and we hope to meet you in person sometime at the winery to share a glass or two and learn about your story.
Don Hartford
CEO and Co-Owner
Hailey Hartford Murray
President and Co-Owner
Jeff Stewart
General Manger and Winemaker
Jenny Hartford
Co-Owner
