Red - Zinfandel

The August Briggs Old Vine Zinfandel 2014 is a combination of two local historic vineyards and we are excited at the addition of the famed Canard Vineyard for the ‘Old Vines’ bottling. The Canard Vineyard (formerly named Tucker Ranch) is one of the oldest in Calistoga and they source fruit from a mix of vine plantings from the 1920’s and 1870’s! That fruit is added in with the amazing 1906 Luvisi vineyard zinfandel and well… its dynamite in a bottle! The effusive aromas of this wine jump out and grab you letting you know that your mouth is in for a special treat! Dark ruby in color with aromas of raspberry jam, boysenberry, clove and brambleberry. This is what you can call an old style Zinfandel. This is a Zin that will drink tonight but will improve with another 4-7 years of aging. 350 cases produced.

The Brown family started as growers in Napa back in the late 70's selling their fruit to such prestigious wineries as T-Vine, Grgich Hills and Green and Red. In 1995, they started their own label with consulting winemaker, Duane Dappen (D-Cubed) getting them going. That was a great day for the wine world! The flagship Napa Valley Zinfandel historically has borne the responsibility of being the ultimate representative of what the Brown property and its unique microclimate have to offer—the cream of the Brown Estate zinfandel crop blended into one stellar wine. As such, it is the most challenging zin they produce because it requires commingling of several distinct personalities into a singular well-adjusted protagonist. The fact that each vineyard’s qualities complement and enhance the others’ virtues is a testament to the integration, fluidity, and perpetual motion—the balancing act!—that is Brown Estate itself. Stunning gemstone magenta core and ruby rim. True on the nose to the hallmark Brown Estate bouquet of rose petals, lily of the valley, hibiscus flowers, Asian apple, and effervescent citrus followed by dried apricot and peach. Medium body with silky mouthfeel, the palate at first delivers a burst of ripe red fruits, heavy cream, and loads of cascading exotic spice, finishing with a surprise of subtle crushed black pepper. Seamlessly integrated, elegant, and engaging. Drink now through 2022 to experience ripe fresh fruit, thereafter for a less fruity, earthier experience. 1100 cases made.

I am always impressed by what people did before the wine world.  Here's two sisters – Mary and Nadine Roy who owned and operated a radiology business in Illinois and now have been running Capo Creek Ranch for the last 4 years. Mary Roy is the mother of six and previous owner/lead physician of Midwest Center for Advanced Imaging, specializing in MRI and Women's Imaging. Nadine Roy was a co-owner and executive director of that business and has now been certified as a sommelier and works alongside her sister, the winemaker. 

This estate old vine zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley is full of juicy fruit flavors dominated by dark cherry, black raspberry & pomegranate. Red licorice and a touch of spice from choice oak barrels balance it nicely and adds a complexity that makes every sip a delight.

The Heart Arrow ranch is one of the finest biodynamic farms in Mendocino County—a completely self-contained ecosystem where not only grapes but vegetables, fruit-trees, pigs, cows, lambs, and chickens all make a self-sustaining microcosm without herbicides or pesticides. The combination of these farming techniques and Dashe Cellars winemaking techniques work to make this an unusual Zinfandel, one that is very different in aroma, flavor, and structure than a classic California Zinfandel, and more like a wine from Burgundy or Beaujolais. How is this wine different? First of all, they don’t crush the grapes but instead use whole clusters and uncrushed destemmed grapes to create a “carbonic maceration” style of wine. They ferment the wine with the native yeasts on the grapes; age the wine in a huge 900 gallon French oak barrel; and bottle the wine with low SO2 levels.
It is extremely aromatic – black cherry, pomegranate, earth, violets, clove, and black pepper. The Dashe Cellars Zinfandel 2017 Les Enfants Terribles, Heart Arrow Ranch, Mendocino shows excellent fruit and mineral aromas, and the wine has an absolutely beautiful texture and depth of flavor. Enjoy the flavors of black cherry, pomegranate, strawberry, black raspberry, chocolate, minerals, and black pepper. Although this wine is beautiful to drink right now, it can improve with age as well, at least 8 years from the vintage date.