Alexander Valley Vineyards

In 1962 Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley was a beautiful, rural community of family farms and ranches filled with prune orchards and pastures. That year, Maggie and Harry Wetzel purchased a large portion of a homestead built by Cyrus Alexander, the valley’s nineteenth century namesake. They began to raise livestock, cultivate bountiful gardens and restore Alexander’s original home to make it the center of their family life.

With an eye to their neighbors in nearby Napa Valley, the Wetzels planted premium grape varieties and built a small winery. Maggie and Harry’s oldest son, Hank, produced Alexander Valley Vineyard’s first wine in 1975. Hank’s wife Linda set up the books and managed the winery office. Alexander Valley Vineyards quickly established a reputation for estate grown wines with distinctive varietal character. Especially acclaimed for crisp Chardonnay and luscious Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley Vineyards brought recognition to the appellation and became a leading winery in Sonoma County.

Hank's younger sister, Katie Wetzel Murphy, joined the family business in 1979 as Sales and Marketing Director and quickly became a leader in Sonoma County's wine industry.

Today the Alexander Valley is one of California’s pre-eminent appellations, known worldwide as the source of elegant, age worthy wines. The Wetzel Family Estate currently grows fourteen grape varieties on diverse sites that stretch from the banks of the Russian River up the hillsides. Each grape variety is carefully matched to a specific soil type and exposure.

Vineyard Manager Mark Houser and Winemaker Kevin Hall work as a team to maximize fruit flavor in the vineyard and create balanced wines that capture the grapes’ varietal characteristics. Hank Wetzel oversees the vineyard and winery operations, and his wife Linda continues to oversee administration. Katie Wetzel Murphy steers national and international marketing with assistance from National Sales Manager Adam Brown.

The winery produces 100,000 cases annually of nine varietal wines and proprietary blends. Seventy-five percent of Alexander Valley Vineyard’s production is red wine. Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon constitute over one-third of total production. Other varietals include Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Gewurztraminer, Syrah, Sangiovese, Viognier, and Cabernet Franc. Adam Brown steers national and international marketing.

Cyrus, a limited production, proprietary red wine, is named in honor of the pioneer Cyrus Alexander. This special wine is Alexander Valley Vineyard’s benchmark, honoring the past while signaling the future. Hank Wetzel explains, “Cyrus is a statement, our ultimate achievement. With this wine, we express our history, tradition, and excellence.”