Muscardini
2018 Zinfandel
, Los Chamizal Vineyards
Sonoma Valley
Gold Medal - 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Competition
Crafted with premium fruit from one of the most cherished hillside vineyards in Sonoma Valley, with lofty aromas of wild berries, roasted fig, licorice, pipe tobacco, fresh mountain herbs, allspice, and smoky cedar. On the palate, lively flavors of briary blackberry, boysenberry and wild strawberry are enhanced with notes of sage, black pepper, cardamom, dark chocolate nibs, and roasted black walnuts. This wine is a classic example of hillside Zinfandel at its finest. Enjoy now or cellar another 4 or 5 years.
Pairs well with tangy blue cheeses, spicy hummus, grilled tri-tip, pasta Bolognese, smoked baby back ribs, slow roasted meats, and chocolate truffles with sea salt.
VINEYARD
Los Chamizal Vineyards are located in the rocky hillside foothills above the city of Sonoma, in the Moon Mountain District of Sonoma Valley. The beautiful terraced vines were first planted in the 1970′s and are carved into steeply sloping hillsides reaching 800 ft. in elevation. The soils range from well drained sandy clay loam at lower elevations to thin fractured basalt soils at higher elevations. The vineyard has a modestly warm climate through the day, with the vines savoring cooler evening air that preserves slightly higher acidity levels in the grapes. The hills are so steep that the vineyards rows have to be terraced, resulting in each vine getting perfect exposure to the sunlight, which is key for ripening zinfandel evenly. The rocky soils force the roots to grow deep, and the resulting wines show a great deal of character. Los Chamizal is sustainably farmed, using permanent crop cover, compost and organic fertilizers to nurture the soil.
VINTAGE
After a whole berry crush, we cold soaked the fruit for three days, and then put it through twenty days of fermentation. 100% Zinfandel.
Appellation: Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Valley
Vineyard: Los Chamizal Vineyards
Blend: 100% Zinfandel
Harvested: October 1, 2018
Bottled: January 20, 2021
Winemaker: Michael Muscardini
Alcohol: 14.8%
Cases Produced: 354
Tasting Notes 
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Top 100 Wines - Sonoma Magazine 2018
Muscardini Cellars graces Sonoma Valley’s (Valley of the Moon) Monte Terra with its estate grape vines, family home and barrel room. You are welcome to visit us in their Kenwood tasting room.
History of Muscardini Cellars
1892, when Michael Muscardini's grandfather, Emilio Alchera, was born in the village of Calliano, just outside of the city of Asti in the Piemonte region. Emilio came to America in 1909 via Ellis Island in New York. After heading to the West Coast by train to meet his two brothers, Antonio and Louis, he settled in San Francisco. Emilio began his living in California by helping to dig the Caldecott Tunnel, which connects the East Bay to Contra Costa County. After saving his money, he began to buy and run corner grocery stores where he sold fine bulk wines, and in his spare time made a red table wine for the family. His business would eventually become the "St. Helena Napa Valley Wine Company."
Learn more at www.muscardinicellars.com.
