May 7 2006
I polished off a bottle of the Hop Kiln 2004 "A Thousand Flowers."
Hop Kiln was one of my favorite wineries when I took a whirlwind sprint through Sonoma a couple of years ago.
A recent article on Winecountrythisweek.com had this to say about Hop Kiln:
The landmark Hop Kiln in Russian River Valley has been home togenerations of pioneers, ranchers and winemakers. Today, the100-year-old structure is a favorite winery site – a lively place wherelocal residents and Sonoma County visitors come to drink in thegorgeous views, warm hospitality and delicious wines. An icon of SonomaCounty’s rich, agricultural past and one of the only stone kilns stillstanding, the property is officially listed on national, state andlocal Historic Registers. Dramatic and welcoming, Hop Kiln is amemorable destination.
They’ve completed some renovations since I’ve been there, but then as now, it’s a charming, unpretentious way to soak in a historical site and do a tasting.
The wine blog "Walk the Wine" shares my sentiments on the ‘A Thousand Flowers" when they say,
the folks at Hop Kilnin Sonoma County have found the right formula to tickle my palate. Theymake a blend of chardonnay (38%), gewurztraminer (27%), riesling (22%),and sauvignon blanc (13%) that’s called A Thousand Flowers. And, it sells for only $13 a bottle.
The Thousand Flowers remains a favorite. The 2004 has aromas that arelush with flowers and tropical fruit and apples, so much so that youexpect to encounter sweetness with the first taste. But, instead, thisunique wine achieves a nice balance, like a fine Alsatian. While thechardonnay contributes a nice richness, I think it’s the gewurztraminerand to a lesser extent the riesling that carry the day here.
It’s a very nice wine—a somewhat muted nose when compared to the absolute delicate fruit and flower combination in the glass. It’s allergy season, so it might pop with more bouquet to me later in the summer, but it was very tasty. My bottle was a gracious gift from a friend in California, you may have to hunt for it as I don’t believe its distributed in every state, well, not mine, for sure. So, keep an eye out for it.
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