Carol Shelton
2019 Zinfandel
, Rockpile Reserve
Florence Vineyard, Sonoma County
94 Points - Wine Spectator
94 Points - Wine Enthusiast
WOW! Loads of ripe dark fruits, chocolate and savory pepper, with vanilla oak spice in this luscious wine that relaxes in soft tannins. It's ripe, indulgent and yet balanced and truly distinctive. Elegantly structured tannins for aging, super plush long finish. 15% Petite Sirah and 5% Carignane are included for added depth and complexity. This top shelf Zinfandel is one of our favorites. Spark up the grill!
Pairs beautifully with a wide array of dishes like sausage pizza, grilled shish-kabobs, roasted rack of lamb and more.
VINEYARD
Florence Vineyard was planted in 1994 (oldest and original Rockpile Zinfandel vineyard) within the legendary Rockpile AVA (American Viticultural Area) is one of the most sought-after AVAs. While Rockpile is one of the newest AVAs in California, receiving status over 20 years ago, the area has been referred to as Rockpile since the 1850's. Located in Northern Sonoma County, at the northwest corner of Dry Creek Valley, the Rockpile AVA encompasses nearly 15,000 acres, of which less than 160 are planted to vineyard. This makes Rockpile one of the smallest AVAs in the United States in terms of acreage planted.
WINEMAKER: Carol Shelton
VARIETAL: 80% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 5% Carignane
VINEYARD: Florence Vineyard
APPELLATION: Rockpile, Sonoma County
FERMENTATION: 5 days cold soak prior to ferment All fermented in 1-ton bins, 10% bleed, hand punched down twice daily 12 days total on skins.
AGING: 18 months in French, American and Hungarian barrels.
TA: 0.62 gm/100ml
pH: 3.7
VINTAGE: 2019
ALCOHOL: 14.8%
Tasting Notes 
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Carol Shelton has won Winemaker of the Year five times, has countless gold medals for her wines and was named one of eight Pioneer Women Winemakers of Sonoma County in 2005, and continues to win awards and accolades.
Carol started at UC Davis in 1974 as an undeclared major with a penchant for language and an aptitude for science. While on a tour of Sebastiani Winery, Carol walked into the barrel room, and was moved by the scent of red wine and oak in the air. She was struck by the power and complexity of aromas and decided, in that moment, to be a winemaker. She declared her major as Fermentation Science under the tutelage of Ann Noble, the author of the Aroma Wheel, and threw herself into her enology studies at UC Davis. One of Carol’s research projects on yeast strains proved that different yeast produced different flavor characteristics in wine. This early experience with yeast is reflected today in the delicious, full-flavored wine Carol produces. Armed with her Bachelor’s degree in Enology from Davis, she has never looked back, working her first harvest in 1978 and every harvest since then.
Learn more at www.carolshelton.com
