Winter / Spring 2008

Topel Winery

On the eastern side of picturesque Duncan Peak, overlooking the town of Hopland, is one of Mendocino County’s hidden jewels—Topel Winery.

Located 1400 feet above the valley floor and atop the fog line, the winery and surrounding vineyards are a testament to the perseverance and passion of Mark and Donnis Topel, whose quest to craft exquisite wines from coveted mountainside grapes is a dream fulfilled.

Topel Winery has its origins in a unique twist of fate. Back in 1980, Mark Topel was a young criminal lawyer when he decided to pose for a portrait at the behest of his Berkeley neighbor, an art broker who represented a talented painter living in an artists’ colony in Hopland. The painter’s home was located up a narrow gravel road on the side of Duncan Peak. As he sat for the portrait, Mark became mesmerized with the beauty of the pastoral surroundings. The artist casually mentioned that an old sheep farm further up the mountain was for sale. The canvas and brushes were set aside and within hours, Mark purchased the farm, and 160 surrounding acres, on the spot.

At first the land was simply a retreat, mostly covered in dense brush, with a few open areas. Over time, Mark learned that his property, with its inferior soil and radically fluctuating temperatures, its multiple sun exposures and its mountainside location, was the absolutely perfect spot to plant Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

“We staked out the first vineyard ourselves,” Mark said. “Donnis and I crawled under the low-lying brush to set the borders. It was a grueling and tedious job, a real labor of love.”

With the vines in the ground, Mark and Donnis soon found themselves auditing classes in winemaking and enology at the University of California-Davis. Eventually the couple built a small winery on the property. Mark and Donnis, whose background as a pastry chef proved to be a tremendous asset when the couple began making their own wine, released their first vintage, a Cabernet Sauvignon in 1993.

Over the years, the couple decided that the tranquil mountainside setting was where they felt most at home. They built their dream house on the estate and moved there for “spiritual sustenance.”

Today, Topel Winery produces four wines. Their signature Cabernet Sauvignon is made completely from fruit grown on their estate, which has been expanded to include plantings of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petite Sirah and Syrah. Topel also crafts a Syrah from estate fruit and a vineyard source in Monterey County; a Pinot Noir from the cool, windswept Northern end of Monterey County; and a Meritage, made solely from estate-grown grapes.

Mark and Donnis are non-interventionists who believe in using indigenous yeasts and letting the wine evolve naturally. “Our goal is simple,” Mark said. “We want to make absolutely the best wine that can be made from these grapes in this spot at this time, and do it honestly.”

Their philosophy also extends to their vineyard management. The Topels adhere to strict biodynamic, organic and sustainable farming practices. They rely only on natural soil supplements and they use compost to build up and maintain stable soil humus. The ground is never tilled and they plant cover crops to prevent erosion and attract vine-friendly insects that feast on pests they don’t want in the vineyard.

“Our mantra is simple”, Donnis explained. “We believe that what goes around, comes around. Farming in this manner has given us a reverent respect for life forces and the cycles of nature—the dynamic relationship between all things in our universe.”

The Topels are happy to host guests at their winery by appointment. To visit, contact Donnis at donnis@topelwines.com, or call 707.744.1787. Topel wines are also available for tasting and purchase at LOCALS Tasting Room in Geyserville, located at the corner of Geyserville Avenue and Highway 128. LOCALS is open Wednesday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Tuesday by appointment. Phone 707.857.4900 or go online to www.tastelocalwines.com.

Topel Winery is located in Hopland, CA. Please call 707.744.1787 or visit www.topelwines.com for more information.