Our 2023 Hacienda Sequoia Pinot Noir Earns 97 Points and Decanter Platinum
Some vineyards become part of a winery’s story, but a rare few become the reason the story begins. Hacienda Sequoia is that place for Brashley Vineyards. It is where our connection to Anderson Valley first took root and where our belief in the potential of this special region began.
Our 2023 Hacienda Sequoia Pinot Noir earned 97 points and a Platinum medal at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, placing it among the highest-rated wines in this year’s competition. Out of nearly 17,000 wines tasted, only a small percentage received this distinction, making the recognition an incredible honor for our team and a meaningful milestone for this vineyard.
While the award itself is something we are deeply proud of, what makes this recognition especially meaningful is the story behind the bottle. Hacienda Sequoia was our first vineyard, the place where Brashley Vineyards truly began and the foundation for our commitment to creating wines that reflect the character of Anderson Valley.
A milestone for Hacienda Sequoia
The Decanter World Wine Awards are among the most respected wine competitions in the world. Wines are evaluated blind, meaning judges taste each entry without knowing the producer or label, and Gold medal wines then receive additional evaluation from senior judges before Platinum awards are selected.
Only 196 wines received Platinum recognition in 2026. For Hacienda Sequoia to stand out through that level of judging reflects the quality of the vineyard, the conditions of the 2023 growing season and the thoughtful decisions made throughout the winemaking process. For us, this award represents more than a score or medal. It celebrates the connection between the land, the vintage and the people who care for this vineyard year after year, allowing its character to come through clearly in every bottle.
The vineyard where Brashley began
Hacienda Sequoia was not part of a long-term plan when Bram and Ashley Palm first discovered the property. After moving west from New York and spending time exploring wine country, they fell in love with Anderson Valley and began imagining a new chapter surrounded by the landscape and community that make this region so unique.
When they found Hacienda Sequoia, they discovered something unexpected. The property came with two acres of Pinot Noir vines, and what began as a beautiful home and hospitality opportunity quickly became the foundation of Brashley Vineyards.
Those first vines shaped everything that followed. Today, Hacienda Sequoia remains one of the clearest expressions of what first drew us to Anderson Valley: a sense of place defined by quiet beauty, cool coastal influence and the ability to create Pinot Noir with remarkable depth and elegance.
Surrounded by towering redwoods and influenced by marine air moving inland from the Mendocino Coast, Hacienda Sequoia provides the conditions Pinot Noir thrives in. The long growing season, gradual ripening and cool evenings allow the grapes to develop complexity while maintaining the freshness and natural acidity that make Anderson Valley Pinot Noir so distinctive.
Why Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is so unique
Anderson Valley has earned a reputation as one of California’s most compelling regions for Pinot Noir because of its cool climate and close relationship with the Pacific Ocean. The valley’s geography allows fog and marine air to travel inland through the Navarro River corridor, creating the temperature shifts that help grapes ripen slowly and evenly.
That slower pace is essential for Pinot Noir, a variety known for its sensitivity and its ability to reflect where it is grown. In Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir often shows bright acidity, aromatic detail and a balance between fruit, earth and texture that gives each wine a distinct sense of identity.
Those qualities are central to the wines we make at Brashley. We are drawn to Pinot Noir because it does not need to be shaped into something it is not; the best examples allow the vineyard, the vintage and the growing conditions to speak for themselves.
Hacienda Sequoia has always provided us with an extraordinary sense of place to work with. The recognition from the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards further highlights the strength of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir and the ability of this region to produce wines with both elegance and character.
A winemaking approach focused on place
Winemaker Ashley Holland approaches Hacienda Sequoia with the goal of preserving what the vineyard naturally provides. Her philosophy is centered on balance, precision and allowing the fruit to express the qualities that make the site unique. Rather than imposing a predetermined style, Ashley works with each vintage as it develops, making thoughtful decisions that support the vineyard’s natural character. Her approach allows the wine to maintain its elegance and complexity while staying connected to the place where it began.
This philosophy is especially important with Pinot Noir, where small choices in farming and winemaking can have a significant impact on the finished wine. With Hacienda Sequoia, the goal is always to highlight the vineyard first and allow its personality to remain visible from the first aroma to the final sip.
A defining recognition for Brashley
The Platinum medal adds to the growing recognition for the 2023 Hacienda Sequoia Pinot Noir, including 94 points from James Suckling and 92 points from Jeb Dunnuck. These honors reflect the quality of the vintage and the continued recognition of the vineyard’s ability to produce exceptional Pinot Noir.
Awards and scores offer one perspective on a wine, but they represent only one part of the story. They cannot fully capture the years of care behind a vineyard, the changing seasons, the work of the people who tend the vines or the moments shared when a bottle is opened. What they can do is introduce more people to a place worth knowing. Hacienda Sequoia represents so much of what we love about Anderson Valley: its redwood forests, its cool coastal influence, its peaceful landscape and its ability to create wines with depth, freshness and a true connection to place.
We are proud of the 2023 vintage and grateful to everyone who helped bring this wine from vineyard to bottle. This recognition is a meaningful milestone for Brashley Vineyards and a reminder of why Hacienda Sequoia inspired us from the very beginning.
Discover Hacienda Sequoia
The story of Hacienda Sequoia is the story of where Brashley began. We invite you to explore the 2023 Hacienda Sequoia Pinot Noir, learn more about our Anderson Valley vineyards and experience the wines shaped by this remarkable place. Located along Highway 128 in Philo, our Brashley tasting room offers the opportunity to taste our wines, hear the stories behind the vineyards and experience the landscape that continues to inspire every vintage.
