As a natural winemaker producing with as little intervention as possible, Broc Cellars owner and founder Chis Brockway is always looking for ways to hone what elements of the process he can control.
To that end, last year the Berkeley-based winery purchased its first vineyard, Fox Hill in Mendocino, after sourcing grapes from the property for more than a decade. Now, for the first time, all the winemakers who source grapes from Fox Hill will be together for a tasting event.
Of Fox Hill Vineyard’s 132 acres, 59 acres are planted. The catalog includes 25 Italian grape varieties, two Portuguese varieties and one Spanish. Owning a vineyard appealed to Brockway because it meant he could finally control the entire process from grape to bottle, and Fox Hill’s breadth of varietals was another selling point.
Broc started sourcing grapes from Fox Hill in 2013, when the vineyard started transitioning to 100% organic farming. Lowell and Barbara Stone took over the vineyard in the 1970s, when Barbara inherited it from her parents. Sam Bilbro of Idlewild Wines, who had helped farm the vineyard for years, was named Fox Hill’s steward in 2014, and Evan Lewandowski of Ruth Lewandowski Wines also helped manage the land and set the path forward for the vineyard. After both Lowell and Barbara Stone died in 2019, Brockway joined in farming and stewarding the land. Finally, in 2023 Brockway purchased the vineyard.
Thursday and Friday, Feb. 15 and 16, Broc Cellars’ wine bar, Bar Broc, will feature specialty wines from Fox Hill Vineyard in addition to wines that have served as inspiration to the vineyard’s winemakers. Wines will be available by the glass, and bottles will be on hand for purchase. Bar Broc will be open from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and the event does not require a reservation.
On Sunday, Feb. 18, Broc Cellars will open their tasting room for a Friends of Fox Hill wine-tasting event with food and live music. Each winemaker that sources from Fox Hill Vineyard will have their own station where they can answer questions and provide samples.
The food lineup includes Daruma Kiosk, Urelio’s Pizza, and Not Too Sweet Treats. Berkeley High Jazz will add to the festivities with a live performance. Tickets for the Fox Hill taste-around event cost $40. Tickets include entry and access to sample wines from all six producers. Wines will be available for purchase. Club members of all participating wineries are eligible for up to two discounted tickets that include an early entry time. In addition to Broc, the participating wineries are Ryme Cellars, Idlewild Wines, En Cavale Wine, Jupiter Wine Co. and Ruth Lewandowski.
“It’s a pretty tight-knit group,” Brockway said. “I’m excited to have everyone together under one roof, and it’s a great opportunity for the public to see and experience the amazing amount of different varieties we have at Fox Hill and the different wines coming out of it. To be able to go through the whole vineyard in one day will be a treat.”
Broc Cellars will be serving not only new releases from Fox Hill, but also older vintages from when they first started sourcing grapes from the vineyard.
As the new owner, Brockway is working to dial in the farming practices at Fox Hill. The farm received CCOF organic certification in January, and the next step is to get regenerative farm certification.
“Not every decision has been great,” Brockway said, offering the example of ungrafting a Primitivo grape variety from a Tokai vine. “We did it during a drought and the vines didn’t like it. They did not grow back. So, we’re still learning.”
While there are no firm plans yet, Broc Cellars hopes to host an annual event for all of the Fox Hill winemakers and February is a good time of year, with everyone still in the Bay Area before the wine festival season picks up in spring and summer.
“Ideally, in the future, we will do something up at the vineyard,” Broc Cellars general manager Bridget Leary said. “But there is still a lot to be up there in order to hold events.”
