Double Gold Medal - San Francisco Chronicle - Jan 2019
Gold Medal - Monterey Wine Competition - Mar 2019
Gold Medal - Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge - April 2019
The 2016 Frank Family Napa Valley Zinfandel has a deep scarlet hue. Opens with aromas of raspberries, vanilla, savory spices and notes of coffee. Medium bodied on the palate with an abundance of fresh fruit and black pepper flavors upon entry. This wine is round, silky, and finishes with generous flavors of ripe blackberries, with a long, layered finish. Always a winner. A perfect companion with grilled foods. Stock up and share with the family.
Pairs with anything from the meat aisle, from barbeque pork ribs, leg of lamb or big, hearty meals.
Zinfandel is often called “California’s Grape,” and despite the fact that it has been genetically traced to Croatia, it certainly seems to show best all over the Golden State. Today’s offering comes from Frank Family Vineyards in Napa Valley, a region certainly more well known for its Cabernet. Napa’s climate is also wonderful for growing Zinfandel. Warm sunny days lead to well ripened Zinfandel grapes that tend to show more of Zin’s jammy side.
VINEYARDS
Frank Family sources from all over Napa Valley for the grapes for their Zinfandel, and this allows them to make a consistently outstanding bottle of wine each and every year. This family run winery is one of the stars of Napa Valley, yet maintains pricing that makes it a reasonable bottle to open for any occasion. In the tradition of the great field blend of California, from the likes of Ridge and others, they blend a little bit of Petite Sirah into the blend, which gives the wine extra weight and texture.
This Napa Valley Zinfandel is cultivated from long term vineyard relationships combining the AVAs of Chiles Valley, Rutherford, St. Helena, and Calistoga.
Vintage: 2016
Wine Type: Red Wine
Varietal: Zinfandel
Varietal Composition: 91% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah
Appellation: Napa Valley
Harvest Date: September 13th - October 5th
Acid: 3.67
Aging: 16 months in 33% new French oak barrels, and 67% once and twice-filled French oak barrels
Bottling Date: March 2018
Acid: 0.65 g/100ml TA
Alcohol %: 14.8
95 Points
Rich and full-bodied, packed with dark fruit flavors of blackberry, ripe plum, and dark cherry. Notes of cocoa, cedar, and warm spice add complexity, while firm tannins and a touch of volcanic minerality reflect the bold characteristics of Calistoga’s terroir. Full-bodied in texture, and remarkably velvety. The tannins gracefully interweave, establishing a flawless equilibrium of acidity and pleasing fruit.
92 Points
Deep floral notes (violets), blackberry, black cherry, and cassis. Driven by the mountain's steep, cool-climate terroir, it balances rich notes of blackberry and pomegranate seamlessly intertwined with dark plum, cocoa dust, and roasted mocha, hints of roasted mocha and spice undertones add depth to its complex profile, culminating in a bold, yet elegant finish.
95 Points
This stellar Napa Valley Red Blend marries lush plum and cherry with Malbec's dark berry depth and Petit Verdot's structure and spice. Layered with notes of blackberry, violet, and cocoa, this silky wine finishes with smooth tannins and a whisper of toasted oak. Robust and mouth-filling, with spicy nuances, smooth tannins, firm structure, and a long lingering finish.
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