Hartford Court
Summary
Hartford Court is a family-owned estate within the Jackson Family Wines portfolio, producing small-lot Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and old-vine Zinfandel from cool-climate vineyards across Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast, where maritime influence and Goldridge sandy loam soils create ideal growing conditions. Their minimal-intervention winemaking emphasizes vineyard character through hand-harvesting, open-top fermentation, and French oak aging tailored to each site, with most wines bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve the distinctive expression of California's North Coast terroir.
Heritage & Leadership
Hartford Court was established in 1994 by Don and Jennifer Hartford in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. Jennifer Hartford is the daughter of Jess Jackson, founder of Kendall-Jackson, placing Hartford Court within the broader Jackson Family Wines portfolio. The winery began with a clear focus on producing single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and old-vine Zinfandel from the cool-climate regions of California's North Coast.
Since its founding, Hartford Court has maintained consistent leadership under the Hartford family, with Don serving as President. The winemaking program has been directed by Jeff Stewart since 2011. Stewart brought significant experience from his previous roles at Buena Vista Winery and La Crema, both notable for their Burgundian varietal programs. Under this leadership team, Hartford Court has expanded its vineyard holdings while maintaining its commitment to small-production, site-specific wines.
Vineyards & Wines
Hartford Court sources fruit from a collection of vineyards primarily located in the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Green Valley AVAs. The Hartford Court Estate Vineyard surrounds the winery in the Russian River Valley and is planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Additional significant vineyard sites include the Seascape Vineyard, situated just 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean on the Sonoma Coast, and the Arrendell Vineyard, which contains some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines in the Russian River Valley, planted in 1975.
The winery's portfolio is structured around single-vineyard designate wines that express their specific terroir. The Russian River Valley vineyards feature the region's characteristic Goldridge soils—sandy loam derived from an ancient seabed—providing excellent drainage for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Coastal vineyards like Seascape and Far Coast experience maritime influence with morning fog and afternoon sunshine, creating a long growing season that develops complex flavors while maintaining natural acidity.
Hartford Court also produces wines from the Four Hearts Vineyards (Russian River Valley Chardonnay), Stone Côte Vineyard (Sonoma Coast Chardonnay), and Velvet Sisters Vineyard (Anderson Valley Pinot Noir). For their Zinfandel program, they work with historic old-vine vineyards including Highwire Vineyard, with vines dating to the 1890s.
Philosophy & Practice
Hartford Court's winemaking philosophy centers on minimal intervention to showcase vineyard character. Grapes are harvested by hand in small lots, often at night or in the early morning to preserve freshness. For Pinot Noir production, the winery employs open-top fermenters with hand punch-downs. A portion of whole clusters may be included depending on the vineyard and vintage characteristics.
The aging program utilizes French oak barrels, with new oak percentages tailored to each vineyard and vintage—typically ranging from 25% to 40% new oak for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Wines remain in barrel for approximately 11-15 months before bottling without fining or filtration to preserve site-specific nuances.
In the vineyard, Hartford Court implements sustainable farming practices, including cover cropping, water conservation, and integrated pest management. The winery participates in the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) program, with certified sustainable vineyards. Production volumes are intentionally limited, with most single-vineyard wines produced in quantities of fewer than 500 cases, allowing for detailed attention throughout the growing and winemaking process.
Hartford Court's approach reflects a commitment to expressing California's diverse terroir through wines that balance concentration with structure and acidity, particularly from the cool-climate regions that define their vineyard portfolio.