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92 Points | Wine Advocate
93 Points | The Tasting Panel
Tasting Notes
This beautifully balanced Zinfandel has a deep, rich color and spicy aromas of cinnamon and blackberry compote followed by bright flavors of blueberry, boysenberry, and baking spices. The finish is long and lingering in this opulent wine.
Vintage Notes
Warm sunny days throughout the spring and summer months set the stage for a spectacular harvest in September 2014. The lack of rain meant that harvest began a little earlier than normal and was short in length, finishing up by the end of October. The temperate days leading up to harvest produced good yields of high-quality fruit with concentrated flavors, complex aromatics, and excellent structure.
Vineyard Notes
This Reserve wine is a combination of both valley floor and hillside fruit from the northern end of Dry Creek Valley, a renowned Zinfandel growing region. After a warm, dry summer, the Zinfandel was picked in mid-September when flavors were at their peak. Added to the blend was Dry Creek Petite Sirah picked at the end of September. Its thick skins and hefty tannins add color and texture to the wine while also contributing balance and length.
Winemaker Notes
The grapes were hand-sorted and underwent an extended cold-soak for five days. Infrequent pump-overs during fermentation allowed for greater color extraction and the ability to control tannin levels. We then complemented this fleshy wine by aging it in 60% new French oak barrels for 20 months to achieve full integration.
WINEMAKER
COLLECTION
GRAPE VARIETIES
16% Petite Sirah
