Nose
Mmm! Caramel and vanilla oak aromas flirt together with ripe, red raspberries and tobacco in a very sexy glass of wine.
Palate
Our 2014 has the brightness for which Zin is known making it a great go-to food wine. The juicy richness focuses on raspberry and sour cherry fruit, but layers in cola with lush tannins that glide across the palate.
Growing Conditions
Our Zinfandel features several different blocks of old vine fruit from Markham growers who just happen to have a bit of this juicy grape hiding on their property. Napa Valley from St. Helena north to Calistoga is referred to by the locals as ‘upvalley.’ And, up-valley is a hot bed for sourcing old vine grapes! More than a third of the vines in our Zinfandel are
over 100 years old, while the balance is in the prime of life at 25-40 years of age. On its own Zin is a bright & lively wine. The addition of a bit of Petite Sirah rounds out the mid-palate of the wine. The Syrah adds a hint of smokiness to the nose.
Harvest
The 2014 vintage in Napa Valley celebrated a near-perfect growing season despite less than receiving less than half the normal rainfall. Late spring rains were well-timed, arriving
after budbreak, allowing for even flowering, fruit set and helped power the vines throughout the season. However the third year of continued drought had yields on our red grapes difficult to estimate accurately. It was a very small vintage for our Zinfandel growers but we think we did them proud!
Winemaking
10 Days Skin Contact Fermented in T-Bins
Aging
17 Months Barrel Aged 47% New Oak
Food Pairing
Pair with spicy BBQ chicken wings and blue cheese dip.
