Michael-Scott
2022 Zinfandel
, Dry Creek Valley
Sonoma County
94 Points - North Coast Wine Challenge
93 Points - Chris Sawyer "Sommelier to the Stars"
93 Points - Texas International Wine Challenge
91 Points - Orange County Fair
Opens up with an aromatic burst of black cherry jam, wild huckleberry, and a hint of crushed espresso bean. On the palate, the fruit is lush and primary, but it's the secondary notes—toasted nutmeg, dark chocolate truffle, and the signature 'Dry Creek Dust'—that provide a long, savory finish. Framed by 18 months in a mix of French and American oak, this is a Zinfandel for those who appreciate power without the weight.
A masterclass in balance. Rich and captivating, enjoy now and for the next 6-8 years. If you're planning some big food...
This is your wine.
Just open, insert corkscrew and get your biggest wine glass.
Its juicy aromas and bold flavors are guaranteed to delight.
Food Pairings
Rich Cheeses with fresh berries, Gourmet Pizzas, Pomegranate Chicken, seared Duck Breast with cherry sauce, Lamb Sliders, Baby Back Ribs.
Winemaking
60-year-old vine GNARLY hillside Zinfandel from a tiny parcel in the warm, rocky, pristine Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County. A splash of Petite Sirah for depth, and WOW! Takes a Zinfandel to another level. This wine is luscious, inky, and energetic. There's really nothing quite like it!
Dry Creek Valley
With a beautiful rural landscape, a rich winemaking history dating back to the 1860s, and one of the largest concentrations of old vine Zinfandel plantings on the West Coast, it's easy to understand why Dry Creek Valley, located in the Northwest corner of Sonoma County, has become a popular destination visited by millions of red wine fans and an inspiration for so many winemakers throughout the years.
Vintage
The 2022 vintage got off to a great start. Spring rains gave the vines a basis for great steady growth and moderate summer weather allowed steady ripening.
A heat wave near Labor Day pushed the grapes to ripeness and we were able to harvest early allowing the grapes ripen beautifully. Despite early accessibility, this Zinfandel will continue to be generous for at least another 6-8 years.
Winemaker: Michael Quinn
Varietal: 95% Zinfandel / 5% Petite Sirah
Appellation: Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
Vintage: 2022
Alcohol: 14.5%
Celebrating 30 years of Michael-Scott Wines, a boutique Napa-based brand founded by Michael Quinn in 1996. Along the way, Quinn’s devotion to crafting world class wines have earned the respect of critics, sommeliers, retailers, and a long string of top medals at high-profile wine competitions. The secret of their success starts with working with high-quality grapes and paying close attention to detail during the fruit’s transformative journey from the vine to the bottle.
Founded in 1996, Michael Quinn created a boutique winery located on the westside of the town of Napa, specializing in select small lots of mostly Napa/Sonoma (Dry Creek) Zinfandels and Napa Valley (sub-appellation) Cabernets (eg. Diamond Mtn., Mt. Veeder, Calistoga, St. Helena, Howell Mtn., Oakville, and Rutherford) from fruit grown with sustainable and eco-friendly techniques. These award-winning wines are mostly sold Direct-to-Consumer.
The premium lots are quite small (typically 200-300 cases of each, sometimes only 100 or so cases) compared to what most commercial brands produce. They make the smaller lots at the Brown’s Valley property located just to the west of the town of Napa, while utilizing a couple other facilities for larger production wines as well as the private label brands.
Michael Quinn, a Napa native, began his career in Viticulture, at a young age in 1975 with Charles Krug / Mondavi Family. Five years later he was Vineyard Manager of the historic Stanly Ranch in the early 80’s growing Pinot Noir for Beaulieu Vineyards and Domaine Chandon. From there Michael moved into the sales and marketing side of the business with a fine wine distributor in Northern California. After that he consulted and handled national sales for a number of smaller Northern California wineries. In 1996, Michael-Scott became a reality. Michael, the sole owner, is mostly involved in the day to day operations with an emphasis on Production, National Sales and Marketing. Being a small winery Michael is required to a number of different hats each day to produce the fines wines from carefully selected fruit sources.
Learn more at www.michaelscottwines.net
