Fritz Winery
2017 Zinfandel
, Dry Creek Valley
Estate Vineyard
91 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Full bodied with aromas of black currant, red cherry, dried cranberries and subtle notes of tobacco and dark chocolate. Well-structured with bright acidity and balanced firm tannins. Flavors of plum, black currant, raspberry, and cocoa carry through to its delightful finish.
Tasting Notes
Produced from 8 acres of vines grown on their Estate Vineyard nestled in the hills of Dry Creek Valley. This a medium-plus bodied wine and displays aromas of red cherry, raspberry, and strawberry balanced with bright acid and satisfying grip. Lush notes of cassis, cocoa powder, and vanilla round out the palate on their estate gem. Bring on the meats!
Winemaking
The fruit was de-stemmed only so that whole berries were transferred to open top fermenters, to help capture bright fruit aromas and flavors. After 5 days of a cold soak the tanks were warmed which allowed the juice to ferment naturally. The tanks were punched down 2-3 times per day for 10 days allowing skin contact for color and flavor extraction. The wine was then drained off the skins and placed in 30% New American oak barrels.
Analysis
Varietal: Zinfandel
Appellation: Dry Creek Valley
Harvest Date: September 2017
Aging: 30% new French oak for 10 months
Alcohol: 14.5%
Production: 1500 cases
Tasting Notes 
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Ahead of their Time... In the late 1970s their winemaking facility was built into the side of a picturesque hill atop the northernmost region of the famed Dry Creek Valley. Arthur Fritz, designed the facility with an incredible foresight. They operate with a modern sensibility for efficiency and awareness by utilizing the unique attributes of our subterranean design. Fortunate that naturally cool temperatures, ideal for winemaking and cellaring, are maintained without any use of expensive or carbon-heavy devices common to most modern wine production! What's more... as a three-tiered structure, they're able to further cut down on energy usage by capitalizing on the always plentiful presence of gravity. By harnessing gravity to move juice from the crush pad down to the tanks and barrels, not only saving energy by forgoing pumps, also saving our precious juice from the detrimental effects of excessive pulsation and buffeting. It's in this way that the delicate nuances present in thier Zinfandels, Chardonnay, Pinot Noirs and other prized estate fruit is maintained. This imperishable masterpiece represents a viticultural passion for sustainability, quality and tradition.
Learn more at www.fritzwinery.com.
