Nose

The 2018 Joel Gott California Zinfandel has
aromas of raspberries, blackberries and dried cranberry with notes of vanilla and spice.

Palate

The wine opens with dark fruit flavors and vanilla, followed by velvety tannins on the mid-palate, and a long finish with hints of spice.

Harvest

Across California in 2018, the growing season was long and even, with moderate winter rains resulting in later than usual bud break. Warm spring temperatures were followed by a midsummer heat wave and cooler temperatures in the fall. These conditions allowed fruit to ripen
evenly at a steady pace, making for a well balanced wine.

Winemaking

The larger part of this blend is sourced from
Amador and Lodi where small fruit clusters from decades-old, head-trained vines give the wine its intense concentration. Located within the northeastern hills of the Lodi appellation, loose, stony soil from Borden Ranch allows for strong vine growth and adds great concentration to the
wine. Fruit from Sonoma adds spice and gives the wine its structure and tannins. Sourcing from these varied regions across California helps to create an elegant and well-balanced wine.

Aging

Following harvest, the fruit was fermented in individual lots then blended together to balance the characteristics of each grape growing region. The wine was aged in 20% new American oak and 80% 2-year-old French oak.