Postcards from Husch Vineyards


Getting Close!

As a farming family we love to see the moment when the grapes start to turn from green to the classic purple that denotes ripeness in our Pinot Noir. And while we still have another 5 weeks before the harvest starts, and as long as two years before the wine is ready, each little milestone is worth celebration.

The color change is called veraison which suggests we don't have a word in English for this grape growing milestone. The color change is most pronuounced in red grapes (like Pinot and Cab) but the careful eye can see the color change in white grapes too, as the berries transition from green to a more yellow tone.

The change is a sign that the vine has ceased its growth stage for the year and will now focus nearly all of its energy on maturing the crop. After the berry has changed color the sugar content will start to surge in the weeks leading up to perfect ripeness.




Husch Delivers

Wine lovers are delighted that Husch delivers when it comes to wine quality. Our wines from Anderson Valley and inland Mendocino are consistent from year to year with their sensible balance and true varietal character.

Our connection to the land at Husch directly contibutes to the balance and varietal character you find in the wines. It starts by growing the right varietals in the right climate. Our home, the cool (cold?) Anderson Valley portion of Mendocino County, is perfect for our Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer grapes. For Sauv Blanc and Cabernet we travel inland where the days are warmer and the climate perfect for our Bourdeaux varietals.

About that car: Our 1932 Plymouth Four Door Sedan has definitely seen some better days. The car dates back as far as anyone can remember - family owners Amanda and Zac would play in the car back in 1979 when mom and dad were staffing the tasting room. Back then a large tortoise shell was positioned as the roof of the car!

Originally priced at $635, the four door model of the car was styled with rear "suicide doors" that are hinged in the back. The design, inspired by the look of horse-drawn carriages, is no longer used today for safety reasons.




Hands On

At Husch our approach has always been hands-on. It starts in vineyards that are tended by hand, not machine. Next we hand pick the grapes each harvest.

Winemaker Brad (also a member of the family) continues the hands-on approach with punch downs, stirring barrels, and meticulous attention to detail in the winery.

Then comes the boring stuff: sales, marketing, accounting. But it is still 'hands on' with family owners Amamda, Zac, and Krista.

We think you can taste our hands-on approach with each bottle of Husch.




Historic Vines & Great Wines

Nestled between two creeks and a towering redwood grove, the historic vineyards at Husch are nearing 50 years of growth.

The vineyard was first planted in 1968 with a selection of Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer. These cool climate choices were a safe bet for the chilly Anderson Valley. Earlier attempts in the region to grow Zinfandel, Cabernet, and Uni Blanc had failed for lack of summer heat. Husch also planted Pinot Noir, but that came a few years later and that is a story of its own.

Many of the original vines from those first plantings continue to bear fruit today. Rather that "rip and replace" entire fields, our family business has adopted a strategy of replacing only the vines that have died over time. This preserves the heritage vines and leaves us with a mixed-age vineyard which leads to wines with complexity and history.

Try our Pinot Noir or Chenin Blanc and see if you agree.




Family Friends Return

We know Spring has arrived when our estate Geese announce the goslings. Proud parents “Francois” and “Eloise” have been parenting at Husch since 2015. This year’s gaggle includes five little ones, who enjoy pecking the bugs from under the historic grapevines and lounging in the pond. We like to think these family-focused geese choose Husch because of its own family roots.

This year the pond is turning into a day-care center. A second couple arrived and soon we had another family competing for pond space and attention from the vineyard crew. Has word about the 'easy life' by the pond gotten out somehow?

Do geese make good wine? The answer may be yes, although in an indirect fashion. Husch farms with some old-school techniques and we think the natural balance in the vineyard makes for better grapes in the long term. So sheep, rabbits, geese, and owls are a normal part of vineyard life. We once put up an infrared game camera to check out the night activity and we learned foxes, coyotes, and possums add to the mix.

Our geese leave by early summer, adults and young ones as well. By then the pond is getting low and the long days of the northern summer call to our migratory friends. But we have learned that Francois and Eloise will be back next winter to continue their family tradition.



Husch Vineyards has been growing grapes and making wine for close to 50 years now. The winery is owned by the third generation of the HA Oswald Family. Our wines are available to wholesale accounts (resturants and wine shops) in California and select states. We also sell our wine directly to wine lovers in most states.