Nose

The wine offers bright,
deep aromas of blueberry jam, white pepper, and coffee accentuated by notes of the usual baking spices--clove,
cinnamon, and allspice.

Palate

The wine is mouth-filling and rich, but with the structure that holds the wine in check. With lots of classic Zinfandel berry character and a bit of chocolate, the wine is “friendly” and is sure to evoke
quite a few smiles.

Growing Conditions

In 2009, Calistoga was the source of fruit that provided plummy, lush and fruity wine with an impression
of sweetness. Jim Fore’s spectacular vineyard on Cobb Mountain at 3000 feet elevation is the source of
awesome Syrah and Grenache that contribute a spectrum of spice, flavors, and depth to broaden the scope of
the wine. And finally, I decided to throw in a bit of Brandlin, our amazing 85-year-old vineyard on Mount Veeder, to
provide a little additional backbone and depth. The components work beautifully together.
2009 will be discussed and evaluated in two ways—before the rains and after the rains. It was a beautiful,
mild, growing season with slow, great flavor development in the grapes. Everything before the rains arguably are
equal to anything of this decade. Fortunately, we lucked out on the pre-rain side.

Vineyards: Calistoga Vineyards; Brandlin Vineyard; Fore Family.

Bottling

Bottling Date: April 5, 2011

Winemaking

Fermentation: 15 days average up to 80º

Aging

17 months in French & American oak, 30% New.

Appearance

Our 2009 Napa Valley Zinfandel is medium dark ruby--great color for Zinfandel.