94 Points, Editors' Choice - Wine Enthusiast
90 Points - Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Pairs beautifully with a wide array of dishes, such as sausage pizza, grilled shish-kabobs or roasted rack of lamb.
Vintage: The 2018 vintage was bountiful with cool, consistent temperatures and a timely rainfall for bud break in March and April. Harvest began in early October, and the grapes were of the highest quality.
Vineyard: Their 34-acre vineyard above Calistoga is the warmest of the five vineyards and the sole source of our Zinfandel. Its northeast exposure catches abundant morning sun but is shaded from the hot, late afternoon sun and combined with the vineyard’s gravelly loam soils, creates the perfect spot to grow this varietal. They farm all of their vineyards naturally, without artificial pesticides or herbicides, and they are certified organic.
Winemaker's Notes:
Alcohol: 14.9%
Fermentation: indigenous yeast
Harvest date: October 5-11, 2018
Sugar: 25.2% degrees Brix at Harvest
Bottling date: June 1, 2020
Release Date: Aug. 5, 2020
Total acid: 5.4 g/L
pH: 3.84
Time in oak: 18 months
Type of oak: French oak
Blend: 98% Zinfandel, 2% Petite Sirah
90 Points
Ruby-plum core with a light purple rim in the glass. The palate opens with cranberry, cherry fruit and wood spice dominate. Cherry and plum notes pump through with a medium-bodied texture. Smooth tannins and soft finish showcase its layered complexity.
92 Points
Aromas of red raspberry, jammed dark fruit, cinnamon spice and clove. Hints of sliced ripe plum, black tea and lavender oil adds to its complexity. Flavors of blueberry, elderberry, and cranberry are enhanced with oak spice and baking notes from the barrels. These flavors marry with soft tannins for a long and mouthwatering finish.
92 Points
Juicy blackberries and black cherries accented by mint and chocolate. Full-bodied, deeply colored, with a hint of white pepper, dried herbs and toasted bread. Delivers a substantial mid-palate of dark fruits, black tea, baked cherry, fruit preserves and licorice. Sophisticated and sumptuous. A great example of the varietal, brooding with depth and complexity. Notes of toast and oak, with integrated tannins and textural polish on the finish.
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