Topel Winery

Topel Winery and its Hidden Vineyard are perched on the east side of Duncan Peak — 1400 feet above the Sanel Valley floor and just south of Hopland in southern Mendocino County. It is here, above the fog line, that owners Mark and Donnis Topel have planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Syrah on the steep, rocky slopes.

Adhering to biodynamic agriculture practices, the Topels tend the vines year-round, coaxing each to produce moderate grape yields with intense flavors. All Topel wines are lovingly handcrafted by Mark and Donnis, who employ minimalist techniques to transform simple grape juice into world-class wines that are robust, yet balanced and elegant — soulful wines that perfectly reflect the soil and climate of their origin.

Topel Winery — The hidden jewel of Mendocino’s Duncan Peak
Back in 1980, Mark Topel was a self-described “cocky young criminal lawyer” when he decided to pose for a portrait at the behest of his Berkeley neighbor, an art broker who represented a talented painter living in an artists’ colony in Hopland.

Mark made the trek to the painter’s home, located up a narrow gravel road on the side of Duncan Peak in southern Mendocino County. The remote, peaceful setting was a far cry from the daily cacophony and drama of the courtroom scene. Sensing that his subject was enamored with the surroundings, the artist casually mentioned that an old sheep farm just up the road happened to be for sale. The canvas and paint brushes were set aside, and within hours, Mark wrote up a contract and purchased the 14-acre farm on the spot.

Topel Cabernet Sauvignon, Hidden Vineyard
Our flagship wine, with deeply concentrated fruit flavors and substantial acidity.

“…These enviably pure cabernets are not burdened down with huge tannin and will not whack the taster over his head in terms of power or intensity. Rather, they are beautifully balanced and elegant…”
—Robert Parker, Jr.