Handley Cellars was founded in 1982 with a Chardonnay made in the basement of their winemaker, Milla Handley. Milla and her husband Rex moved to the
Anderson
Valley in the late 70’s when this area was still uncharted wine territory. They were fascinated by the area’s possibilities, beauty and isolation. The winery is dedicated to producing Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer and other varietals that are elegant representations of the
Anderson
Valley .
The
Handley
Anderson
Valley estate vineyard totals 12 acres of Pinot Noir, 13 acres of Chardonnay and 5 acres of Gewurztraminer. This vineyard experiences cool foggy nights and bright sunny days which is a perfect climate for all three varietals. Only sustainable farming methods are used to build the soil which encourages stronger plants that are less susceptible to disease.
The family also owns a vineyard in the
Dry
Creek
Valley (
Sonoma
County ) where they grow Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Viognier. The soil is a deep sandy loam and the climate is much warmer than the
Anderson
Valley which gives the wines a much different character while adding variety to the portfolio.
