We call our wine simply “Sei Querce”, Italian for “six oaks,” to remind us of the six venerable oak species that define and dominate the land we call home and the land that grows our wine.

We have a rich life thanks to the nature that surrounds us. And with that richness comes the responsibility to share it with others both today and in the future. This means we must factor in land conservation, restorative agriculture, and climate change mitigation in literally everything we do. Our goal and our commitment is precisely this: Grow the best fruit and make the best wine, while also remembering that our greater legacy will come from our work to conserve our land, restore our soils, and limit our carbon footprint.

Owner Hal Hinkle

In 2010, Hal Hinkle bought two adjoining ranches in Geyserville, the heart of Sonoma’s Alexander Valley.  By 2014 he had restored its creeks, replanted the vineyards, repaired the existing roads and started his first vintage.  Working with Jesse Katz (now of Aperture) from 2014 to 2018 and with Kate Nowell-Smith, starting in 2019, he has set about to make the highest quality Bordeaux varietal wines, that are most fitting to the Alexander Valley, in the most earth friendly way. High-end viticulture is inherently an intense farming activity that can be very hard on the land. Through careful, yet unrelenting practices, Hal has pushed the envelope on sustainability from organic, to fish and bee friendly all the way to climate friendly. Today, Sei Querce is working to produce the first certified carbon neutral wines in the United States.

Jesse Katz – Consulting Winemaker (2014-2019)

Jesse Katz, our initial consulting winemaker, was buying the fruit for his award-winning Malbec from an adjoining property. He wanted to buy fruit from us but since we were preparing to redevelop most of the vineyards, we had none for sale. Based on his travels and experience, Jesse thought our ranch was one of the best sites to produce premium Bordeaux varietals in Sonoma County. We decided to engage Jesse’s passion and insight by hiring him to help guide our replant and to make our first vintages (2014-2018). Based on extensive soil and solar aspect analysis in each block, Jesse helped pick each rootstock and each varietal and clone. Based on his unique talents, Jesse’s recognition has continued to grow globally as he now leads his own winery, Aperture Cellars. And he continues to buy our fruit.

Kate Nowell-Smith – Winemaker

While working at one of our fruit buying wineries, Kate got to know our site, our vineyard blocks, and our farming practices. After two harvests working with our fruit, she approached us and shared her vision of developing a program of small lot, minimal intervention, and highly sustainable wines. Our plans to push toward a carbon neutral vineyard footprint were compelling to her.  She was sold on us, and we were sold on her.  We totally love her first vintage (2019) and can’t wait to release the wines. Delightfully, Kate’s first vintage also included creating a spectacular Vermouth from our 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, showing her quick talent and insight into blending natural tastes and flavors.