Red - Zinfandel

The wine has a dark cherry color, with a light garnet rim. Aromatic rose petal, blackberry, cola, and licorice scents are enhanced by a touch of cedar and black peppercorn. Ripe, fruity, black raspberry, plum, and rhubarb flavors are heightened by notes of anise seed, black truffle, and toasty oak. Expect perfumed forward fruit thru 2020, then a deeper, almost Gigondas-like wine in the decade to follow. 2020 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Gold Medal.

Keenan’s 2019 Zinfandel is made up of grapes grown primarily on Keenan’s Spring Mountain District estate. The Estate Zinfandel imparts structure, ripe black fruit and complex earthy nuances. Zinfandel grown in Calistoga makes up the remainder of the blend and supplies spice and briary red fruit aromas.
“Dried fruit, such as cherries, together with spices, black pepper and rose petals. Medium-bodied and juicy with berries and dried orange peel. Real deal. Polished. Balanced. Mostly from their estate mountain vineyards with some carignan and alicante, which are co-fermented. Drink now.” – 94 Points – James Suckling. 355 cases produced.

Kokomo Dry Creek Zinfandel 2019 is comprised of fruit from three different vineyards: Mizany Vineyard, Timber Crest Vineyard, and Pauline’s Vineyard. Although all are located in Dry Creek Valley, the different vineyards bring three unique wines with their own distinct personalities. Mizany Vineyard is planted to the DuPratt clone of Zinfandel, which has a spicier character with a darker fruit profile. Timber Crest and Pauline’s Vineyards are both planted to the old mother-clone of Dry Creek, but are grown on two very different sites. Pauline’s Vineyard is on the valley floor in the famous Cortina gravelly loam, while Timber Crest Vineyard, the oldest of all three vineyards, is planted on the East Bench behind our winery.  The 2019 Kokomo Zinfandel is classy and elegant, displaying a ravishing garnet color and showing the bright acidity and fruit of black cherry and smoky plum. Rustic yet plush, aromas of cherry, anise, and underbrush give way to focused flavors of red plum, smoky herb, and pepper.

The Mauritson family’s Rockpile Ridge Vineyard is located at nearly 1,200-ft. elevation in the Rockpile appellation. This vineyard has sweeping sun exposures from southeast to northwest and consists of nine distinctly different blocks of Zinfandel. The blocks are all harvested at different times and fermented separately to insure the integrity and uniqueness of the individual blocks. Freshly crushed berry fruit is complemented by richer notes of cocoa and sweet oak on the nose of this gorgeous Zinfandel. The 2019 Rockpile Ridge Zinfandel carries all of the signature aromas expected from Zinfandel grown in Rockpile: candied cherry and plum; dark cocoa; ground roasted coffee; savory dried herbs and sweet earth. This incredible iteration of Rockpile Ridge Zinfandel is singularly defined by its detailed texture. It’s vibrant, yet concentrated; elegant, yet bold; velvety, yet powerful. Then it ultimately resolves into a seamless and persistent finish. This energetic Zin will benefit from at least 1-2 years of bottle age. Enjoy over the next 10-12 years.

As one of the pioneers of California’s Wine Industry, the Parducci family has been devoted to handcrafting premium Mendocino County wines for over 70 years. They source only the finest grapes from dedicated growers and strive to enhance what nature has provided and produce wines of distinction. Winemaker Rich Parducci leads a small dedicated group of wine lovers.The 2018 McNab Ridge Zinfandel is another great example of how the essence of the quality fruit their dedicated growers deliver vintage after vintage can be preserved. Aromas of brambly red fruits, raspberry and spice deliver through to a delightful white pepper essence on the mid-palate. The finish is balanced yet lively; just the way an elegant and food-friendly Mendocino Zinfandel should be! This wine would be a lovely accompaniment to a blackened salmon with raspberry butter or your favorite BBQ dish. 419 cases made.

This powerful & unique (Oakville designate) Zinfandel has brilliant aromas of both sweet and spicy notes jumping out of the glass. On the nose: raspberry jam, black pepper, and fall spices including clove. On the palate: this wine is medium bodied with smooth and supple tannins. It is well-balanced with a long lasting finish of ripe berries and pepper spice.

Ottimino means “Little Eight,” so called because he was the last of eight children and the smallest, but had big ambitions. When he came to America in 1913, he made his home on a beautiful ridge above Green Valley (western Sonoma County) and forged a life on new soil.  Ottimino became a favorite in the area, and always spoke proudly of his vines.  along the way one of the friends he made was Brad Alper, who had a dream similar to Ottimino's. Brad's first grapes grew as Ottimino's time was coming to an end, and the legacy was passed on. His inquiries led him to veteran winemaker Bill Knuttel, who instantly knew that Brad's (and Ottimino's) dream would soon become Brad and Bill's passion. Long time California wine-maker William Knuttel has concentrated on ultra-premium winemaking for the majority of his career. Knuttel’s winemaking journey began at Saintsbury.  While there he founded and was owner/winemaker of Tria, producing fine Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel. Bill has also served as Vice President and Winemaker at Chalk Hill Winery  and Dry Creek Vineyard, as well as producing his own label. The foundation of the 2018 Ottimino Zinfinity is the 50 year old vines in Biglieri Vineyard, Dry Creek, blended with some Bradford Mountain selection Zin from Ottimino Vineyard, their home ranch. To these finely nuanced Zins, they added a touch of fruit from Chalk Hill.  Finally, they added Petite Sirah from Doug Rafanelli’s steep hillside vines to enhance the density and structure of the blend.  Deep and defined, optimally ripened blackberry fruit is joined in the developing aromas of this complex Zin by a distinctive note of dusty soil spice, and the ensuing flavors reflect the same. A trim bit of tannin lends structural spine and neatly placed acids keep things agile, and all the while persistent fruit is the force that drives this one through to a very long finish.

The Armida POIZIN 20192021 is a lush, delicious and “serious” wine but in a spooky fun package! A lush, delicious and “serious” wine but in a fun package! The nose is fruit driven with fresh plum, bing cherry, spicy peppercorn and zinberry. The mouthfeel is soft with a hint of milk chocolate, sweet oak, and a long vanilla finish. The deep color and firm structure are enhanced by the addition of the Petite Sirah and the firm tannins softened by moderate oak. Enjoy this POIZIN with caution; it is The Wine to Die for!

The Rabble Zinfandel 2019 comes from the Mossfire Ranch in Paso Robles.  Aged in French and American oak, it is 100% Zinfandel.  Atypical for Paso Robles Zinfandel, this gem exudes spicy raspberries in a dusty field of lavender and lilac. Opulence; an engulfing mouth feel of velvet cherries, rhubarb, brittle chocolate and finely crushed peppercorn. The finish is uplifting, with layers of bright acidity dancing on fine lush tannin. Part Primitivo in style, part California Zinfandel, this is the progeny of a dusty Paso Robles farmer and a stunning Italian minx. 

The Storrs Rusty Ridge Zinfandel 2016 hails from a series of old vine vineyards located on the eastern edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Head-trained and dry-farmed all, these vineyards yield very minimally allowing for intensely flavored fruit that produce wines of amazing concentration and varietal identity. Each vineyard which comes to the blend, adds something… one brambly fruit, the other backbone and spice, the other depth and concentration. Together these vineyards create a wine that will remind all of us why winemakers engage the four-wheel drive, and then hike through the worst poison oak to uncover these gems that have nearly been forgotten to the outside world. Big, Rich & Bold!!! Filled with abundant aromas of raspberry, ripe plum, a touch of spice and violets on the finish. Created from the fruit of old-vine vineyards – this wine will age gracefully for several more years.

This proprietary cuvée hails from a series of old vine vineyards located on the eastern edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Head-trained and dry-farmed all, these vineyards yield very minimally allowing for intensely flavored fruit that produce wines of amazing concentration and varietal identity. Each vineyard which comes to the blend, adds something… one brambly fruit, the other backbone and spice, the other depth and concentration. Together these vineyards create a wine that will remind all of us why winemakers engage the four-wheel drive, and then hike through poison oak to uncover these gems that have nearly been forgotten to the outside world. Enjoy the wondeful scents of ripe brambleberries – raspberry, loganberry and boysenberry – with accents of black pepper and vanilla. Quite full-bodied, with a very supple palate. You’ll again encounter the rich brambleberry notes especially boysenberry complemented by soft vanilla owing to long-term aging in small oak cooperage.