Old Hill Ranch

Sonoma Valley

Rich with history, Old Hill Ranch was established in 1852 when William McPherson Hill purchased the land from General Vallejo. As an orchardist and vineyardist (not to mention senator and vice-president of the State Board of Viticultural Commissioners), Hill grew the first peaches in Northern California and was one of the first to grow non-Mission vinifera grapes, including Zinfandel. Hill seemed quite interested in grapes. In fact, in 1873, the Russian River Flag reported that Hill was growing 53 different varieties!

Today, the ranch is owned by the Bucklin family and is lovingly and organically farmed by Will Bucklin. Many of William McPherson Hill’s vines still exist (they were replanted in the early 1880s due to phylloxera) and the vineyard remains quite mixed with over 20 other varieties complementing the Zinfandel. This is truly one of California’s great old-vine vineyards.