Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley
Hook and Ladder is located at 2134 Olivet Road in Santa Rosa, California.
Winery Tasting Room Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Complimentary tasting. The tasting room is inside the winery’s production facility at the Barbieri Ranch, one of the Russian River Valley’s oldest vineyards, dating back to 1905.
Cecil De Loach is Owner and Winemaster as well as a San Francisco firefighter. Growers first in 1970 and then Producers under the De Loach label in 1975.
“More than three decades later,
Cecil and Christine sold that label and have continued their winemaking skills
at the helm of a small family winery that employs a simple philosophy –
craft exceptional wines, from the highest quality grapes, that people love to drink.”
Hook and Ladder offers great tasting and very drinkable wines! The winemaking process is hands on too (i.e. hand pressed, hand stirred, etc.).
Tasting Flight
- Chardonnay – The color in the glass was beautiful with a good nose and a smooth mouth feel. A great tasting and balanced wine that is crisp and fruity.
- Pinot Noir – This wine played with my palate with its complexity and balance.
- Zinfandel – The color in the glass was a deep, dark red with a nose of berries, spice and wood. This wine played with my palate with its fullness and long lasting finish as well as when the wine warmed up in the glass it went from berry to woodsy to berry to cola. A very multidimensional and complex wine that is rich, full and long lasting.
- The Tillerman – 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 19% Merlot, and 10% Sangiovese. The color in the glass was a deep red/purple with a nose of bright, ripe fruit, spice and herbs. This wine could handle lighter dishes to rich dishes.
- Station Ten Zinfandel Blend – 59% Zinfandel, 31% Petite Sirah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Carignane, and 1% Alicante Bouschet. The Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon give this wine depth, richness and fullness. The Carignane gives it spice and the Alicante Bouschet gives it sweetness. A great tasting wine that is very drinkable and balanced.
Hook and Ladder’s Station Ten (Photos by RSheridan)
CRAVESAdventure 
November 6th, 2013 at 8:49 AM
What’s the significance of the Hook and Ladder name?
November 6th, 2013 at 9:05 AM
The owner, Cecil De Loach, was a San Francisco Fireman. I will go in and update this on my post.
November 6th, 2013 at 9:07 AM
It was in the post, but I bolded it now – thanks!
November 6th, 2013 at 5:56 PM
That’s an old vineyard! I wonder if they kept any of those really old bottles around. Great name for a fireman winemaker!
November 6th, 2013 at 7:44 PM
I know, right!
November 10th, 2013 at 8:59 PM
My husband and I visited the tasting room in Sonoma. I like how they hang up shirts from other fire stations. And the wine was great!
November 11th, 2013 at 9:52 AM
Their wine is great and YUMMY:) I was amazed by all the t-shirts and patches too.
Have a Great Week – Renee