At Hanson of Sonoma, we’re proud to open our doors and share the story behind our award-winning, organic grape-based vodka. Our distillery tour offers an intimate look into our family-run operation, from our humble beginnings to our cutting-edge distillation process. Here’s what you can expect when you join us for a tour.

Gather in the Tasting Room

Your journey begins in our tasting room, where you’ll gather with fellow tour attendees. This is where the experience kicks off, setting the stage for the story of Hanson Distillery. You’ll then move into our VIP/Private Tasting Room, a space steeped in our family’s history and passion for both the arts and spirits.

The Hanson Family Story

In the VIP room, you’ll delve into the rich history of the Hanson family. Family-owned and operated since our inception in 2012, Hanson Distillery is a labor of love that stems from a long-standing involvement in the arts. Before we entered the spirits industry, our family owned and operated 20 art galleries across the United States, as well as three international galleries. Scott and Judy Hanson, the parents, led this creative endeavor, with our flagship gallery in Sausalito still operating today. It also serves as our other tasting room, offering a unique blend of art and spirits.

Scott’s journey from the art world to the spirits industry was anything but ordinary. After selling most of the galleries to their managers, Scott ventured into the movie industry, spending 10 years as an executive producer with Paramount Pictures. His final project, “Lawless,” inspired the movie poster you’ll see hanging in the VIP room—a nod to the film about three brothers involved in moonshining. Conveniently, Hanson Distillery also has three brothers at the helm, though we stick to legal distilling!

Chris and Brandon Hanson, two of the brothers, were the initial founders. Chris, with his background in distillation from Oregon and London, and Brandon, a bartender and actor in LA, pitched the idea of starting a distillery to their parents. Initially met with some hesitation, Scott and Judy were eventually won over, and soon after, their other children, Darren and Alanna, joined the venture. With everyone on board, Hanson Distillery was born.

Distillation: The Heart of Our Craft

After learning about our history, you’ll move from the VIP room to the heart of our operation—the distillery. Here, you’ll see our impressive double pot and column still system, custom-built in Germany and shipped to us in countless pieces. As a family with a can-do attitude, we took on the challenge of assembling it ourselves, even navigating instructions in German with the help of Google Translate. Once completed, the fire marshall marveled at its beauty, though we did have to relocate it slightly for optimal viewing through the VIP room window.

In the distillery, you’ll learn about our unique process of producing organic grape-based vodka. Unlike most vodkas made from grains or potatoes, we use grapes that are abundant in our backyard. We take pride in hand-peeling, hand-cutting, and hand-processing all our fruits and vegetables for infusion, avoiding artificial flavorings, colorings, or syrups. Our proprietary blend, Batch 123, uses three types of white grapes and is reminiscent of the Carneros region’s sparkling wines. With the help of spirits experts, we’ve perfected our blend, which serves as the backbone of all our vodkas.

Production and Infusion

Next, you’ll move to the production side of our facility, where the magic of infusion happens on a smaller scale. You’ll see how we meticulously infuse our vodka with real fruits and vegetables, ensuring each bottle is bursting with natural flavors. Turning around, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at our bottling and labeling process, from labeling tables to boxing, palletizing, and distribution.

The Crush Pad and Vineyard

Your tour continues out onto the crush pad, where you’ll see the Europress in action. This is where we crush our grapes and move the juice into the tank farm in our wine production facility. The tour concludes with a gaze over our vineyard, a peaceful reminder of the land that makes our vodka possible.

Final Tastings and Food Pairings

As you make your way back into the tasting room, you’ll have the chance to explore our art installations and sample some of our finest vodkas. Whether you’re a fan of our original blend or curious about our innovative infusions, there’s something for every palate. Join us in the outdoor tasting garden for cocktails & artisan food pairings to finish off your experience.

Join us at Hanson of Sonoma Distillery for an unforgettable experience that blends the art of distilling with the heart of family tradition. Cheers!