Thanks for reading our blog called "The Press". We share fun happenings and news from the vineyard, winery, our patrons and more! If you would like to receive these updates via email, please email us. We look forward to sharing news with you.
Harvest 2026 arrived earlier than ever at Hafner Vineyard. After an early growing season, a cool summer, and smaller yields, we began picking Chardonnay nearly a month earlier than usual. The exciting news is the fruit: intense flavors at lower sugar levels are showing tremendous promise. Parke shares more about the harvest and why the early arrival.
UPS has made some changes to how they deliver wine, and we want to help make sure your Hafner wine gets to you without a hitch. In many cases, UPS will make just one delivery attempt. If no one 21 or older is available to sign, your wine may be taken to a nearby UPS Access Point for pickup. We recommend tracking your shipment so you know when to expect it, or, if possible, shipping to an address where someone will be there during the day. A little planning can go a long way toward making sure your wine arrives safely and doesn’t make an unexpected trip back to us. We're always happy to help with any questions you might have.
This summer, we took Hafner Vineyard on the road, sharing our wines with longtime patrons and introducing their friends to our family winery in Illinois and Minnesota. From an intimate country club tasting to a lively backyard gathering, we were reminded that great wine is best enjoyed with good company. These memorable events reinforced something we've always believed: the most rewarding part of the business is having connections with patrons both longtime and brand new.
Last Saturday, we completed our final Spring Barrel Tasting here in Alexander Valley. A tradition started by my grandparents and continued by my uncle, Scott Hafner, these gatherings are a wonderful opportunity for us to be together and say "Thank You" in person. We shared wines like our 2022 Blanc de Blancs and a 2009 Library Cabernet Sauvignon alongside some snacks in the Grove outside our winery. These gatherings are a highlight of our Spring; thank you to those who joined us and for those who didn't, we hope you might join in the future or come for a tour of the vineyard, winery and caves.
While we sell 95% of our wine to people at home, we sell the remaining to top California restaurants. Following the pandemic, we are reviving our restaurant accounts which took us to Southern California. With a four year old and seven year old in tow, we turned a high stakes sales trip into a family adventure, starting with the ultimate bribe: Disneyland. This journey through Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Monterey was more than just business; it was a mission to reconnect with iconic dining rooms and honor multi-generational relationships. From "double-teaming" sales calls to beach stops between appointments, this is a look at the persistence, strategy, and heart it takes to run a family winery.
