About
Our Story
In March of 2020, as COVID shut down the world, Fran and Lisa Malecha ventured into a new and exciting chapter in their lives and bought a 72-acre vineyard property in Sonoma County. They would eventually name the vineyard Hidden Lake Vineyard (HLV), for the hidden gem of the property, a two-acre lake that sits hidden above the lower lying 22-acre vineyard. The lake serves as a source of recreation for the family, and more importantly, irrigation for the grapes.
Owners Fran and Lisa are thrilled their kids Michael and Allison are on board with this venture into the vineyard business and world of wine making! Hidden Lake Vineyard has evolved into a family project and family retreat!
(From left to right) Fran, Mike (son), Lisa, Allison (daughter) at the Hidden Lake.
With Fran’s agricultural and farming background, and Lisa’s landscape and horticulture background, the intent was to focus on being grape farmers and provide Sonoma County and Napa Valley wineries with a diverse selection of grape varietals well suited for the cool mornings, hot afternoons, and rocky soil of Dry Creek Valley: Zinfandel, Grenache, Barbera, Mourvèdre, Vermentino, Petite Sirah.
HLV's vineyard managers, Joe Ramazzotti and his son Travis, are also renowned wine makers, and with their guidance Fran and Lisa created and bottled their first estate grown, small batch wines in 2024: a 2023 Mourvèdre Rosé, a 2023 Vermentino, and and a 2022 Old Vine Zinfandel.
As with any commodity that is affected by the whims of Mother Nature, there is no way to know exactly how many tons of grapes the HLV vines will produce year to year. The first commitment of HLV is to our valued winery customers, and if we have any surplus grapes once all contracted commitments are filled, HLV will make wine from those remaining varietals.
So even though the line-up of wines at HLV may change from year to year, the commitment to quality, fruit-forward wines that are designed to both pair well with food and stand on their own will remain constant.
Our Grape Varietals
The vineyard sits on the eastern slope of Dry Creek Valley. The coastal fog rolls in most mornings to bathe the vines in a cool layer of moisture. The temperatures slowly rise as the fog layer burns off, giving the vines the warmth they need to grow. The temperature will often swing from lows in the mid-50’s to highs in the triple digits during the growing season (which stretches from April to September).
Zinfandel — this red Italian varietal grape is what Dry Creek Valley is known for because of it’s tough, rocky soil. Zinfandel vines love to struggle - the more the struggle the greater the intensity of the grape, and the more full-bodied the wine.
The Zinfandel vines at HLV cover over 11 acres of the vineyard and are broken down into multiple blocks of vines ranging in age from 4 years old to 120 years old.
Petite Sirah — this red French varietal grows as a small grape in a small tight cluster, but it is big on flavor. Quite often used in blends, this varietal can stand on its own but also pairs well with a hearty red meat dish. This small — less than 1/2 acre block — has loved its location on the south facing slope for over 20 years, and is a big producer.
Grenache — this red Rhone varietal is new to HLV (planted in 2022), and produces tight large clusters creating a robust but light red wine. Often blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre to create a GSM blend, it can also stand on its own as the French reply to the Italian Pinot Noir. These vines sit on a slope on the south end of the property, soaking up the sun's warmth from late morning to early afternoon.
Barbera — this red Italian varietal was also introduced to HLV in 2022, and produces loose large clusters creating a very fruit-forward wine that is often labeled a "wine of the people" because it is easy to drink, pairs well with red-sauce pasta dishes and pizza, and is generally lower priced. These vines sit on the lower level of the vineyard, soaking up the warm afternoon sun, after bathing in the cool overnight temps.
Mourvèdre - this red Rhone varietal is new to HLV and produces large tight clusters of small grapes creating a more complex flavor that lends body to a wine when combined with other varietals like Grenache and Syrah, or it can stand on its own as a full-bodied peppercorn-spiced wine. These vines sit on a western-facing slope on the north end of the vineyard where the hottest temps of the day help this late ripening grape.
Vermentino — this white Italian varietal was chosen by our vineyard manager as a perfect grape to grow on the south-facing slopes on the north end of the HLV vineyard. The varietal originated where Joe came from in northern Italy, on almost the same latitude as the HLV location. These vines produce medium-sized grapes in a medium-tight, medium-sized cluster, brimming with flavor and color — placing it somewhere between a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc.
Our Wines
2023 Furrowed Brow — Mourvèdre Rosé
In fall 2023, Travis Ramazzotti, Joe’s son, and Lisa were harvesting the first ever crop of the newly planted Mourvèdre grapes and ended up with an unexpected surplus. Travis recommended turning that excess crop into a rosé, and a crack decision was made. And what a great one it turned out to be! Named for our fox red lab who has an extremely furrowed brow, this rosé is not your average Provence-style, light-colored summer day sipper. This is a shoulder season rosé that bridges the gap from the hearty red winter wines into spring, or from the light crisp summer whites and rosés, back into the late fall red wine drinking season.
2023 Hidden 55 — Vermentino
For years Joe had been looking for the right location to plant one of his favorite Italian varietals. When Fran and Lisa undertook a major replant at HLV, Joe approached them and said he would contract to buy the grapes if they would allow him to plant the varietal on the property. It was a win-win for everybody—and we had such a great first crop that we took some of the excess and created the first HLV white varietal. Named for the age Fran and Lisa were when they undertook this massive project of reinvigorating a vineyard that had been ignored for 20-plus years, and for the hidden gem this whole property has become. An instant hit as a new "go to" white for those tiring of the heavy Chardonnay or the barely there Sauvignon Blanc.
2022 Lone Oak — Old Vine Zinfandel
A large old lone oak tree stands at the lowest point of the vineyard on the north end, flanked by vineyards in every direction. The smallest block and the oldest zinfandel vines stand at the base of the hidden lake, and still produce some of the best grapes and largest crop per acre. These 120-year-old vines are the heart of the HLV vineyard and the wine created from these grapes is as mature and bold as the vines themselves.
