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RUSSIAN HILL ESTATE WINERY
by Pat Fusco
 It’s obvious that anyone who has enough money can own a winery.
All one has to do is buy property, hire the right people and sit
back to reap the considerable rewards of being involved in a
glamorous lifestyle. What takes real fortitude is building up a
business, establishing a reputation through hard work and sheer
nerve, all based on a passion for turning grapes into something
magical.
Once that passion has taken hold, things can get exciting. This
was true for Ellen Mack and Ed Gomez who discovered winemaking
after careers in academic medicine. Ellen and her husband feel
that medicine and winemaking are of the same philosophy since, as
she says, “Each is both a science and an art form.” Putting their
belief into practice, they began their first efforts in a modified
warehouse in Benicia in 1993, experimenting with varietals and
bottling enough to sell locally.
They spent two years searching for a location that would provide
them with established vines and property for building their own
winery. In 1997 Ellen found a large house (called “Tara” by the
locals because of the columns at its entrance) with a deserted
kennel structure and lots of very fine Russian River land, some of
it planted by the Dutton family. It’s in a prime location perfect
for growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah grapes, a region with
cold marine air that brings foggy mornings, warm afternoons and
cool nights to produce long ripening seasons and fruit with
concentrated flavors. The estate became Russian Hill Winery. With
his usual low-key sensibility, Ed says, “Well, we’re on a big hill
in Russian River – what could be simpler?”
The winery building they constructed is a graceful barn design
with high tech equipment – much of it created by Ed – where the
first crush took place in 1999. Their latest project involved
turning the long low kennel into a tasting room complete with a
deck outside that has a 180-degree view of some of the lushest
vineyards in Sonoma, some of them old established family lands,
others new and equally thriving in this dramatic landscape.
Adding his expertise to the family team is partner Patrick Melley,
Ed’s nephew, who left a career in the restaurant business to turn
his talents toward his role as winemaker. He and Ellen and Ed have
done all the labor from the very beginning, from shoveling grapes
to working on the vines to punching down, bottling, and all the
tasks in between. These are winery owners who know everything from
the ground up.
Essentially self-taught, Patrick has already made a name for
Russian Hill, turning out winning wines. His 2001 Chardonnay Gail
Ann’s Vineyard took a gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine
Tasting. Made using ancient French methods that result in less
oak, it is praised for its food-friendly quality. His 1999 Syrah
Russian River Valley Reserve has been called a wine with “power
and elegance”, even “weighty”, phrases not usually applied to the
varietal. It was one of the top 100 winners on the Chronicle’s
list for 2002. In the highly competitive North of the Gate Wine
Competition, 2000 Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch was named best of class
and took a gold medal.
With the transformation of kennel into tasting room the three
partners opened their winery to the public on a sophisticated
level. The person they chose to design their tasting program and
to develop educational and professional events is a nationally
recognized sommelier, Gale Herman. She came to Russian Hill from a
career with some of the best restaurants in Manhattan – Gramercy
Tavern, Veritas, and ATLAS. While she was sommelier at the latter,
Food & Wine magazine honored it for having the best new wine list
of the year. She learned hands-on winemaking in France and has
moved into food education, pairing wines with foods in upscale
cooking classes.
The tasting room and Gale’s presence there make for a welcoming
atmosphere, complete with winery pets: Ruska, a friendly gray cat,
and Kiri, a herding dog who trots alongside guests. Fabulous
views, a top sommelier’s easygoing and enthusiastic sharing of
knowledge and the wines themselves are fine reasons to make the
trip to western Sonoma.
Tasting room hours: Thursday-Monday, 10-4 pm
4525 Susser Rd., Windsor, 707/575-9428, www.russianhillwinery.com
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