91 Points - International Wine Review
We have featured Willowbrook Wines many times in the past on WineHeist, and have consider them one of our finest sources of Sonoma Pinot Noir and Syrah, so it was no surprise to find their Zinfandel begging us for more. We were truly delight as we tasted the wine, as Willowbrook’s deft touch with Pinot and Syrah clearly carries over to Zinfandel as well.
The 2012 Willowbrook Pagnano Zinfandel, from a tiny vineyard just west of Santa Rosa, is brilliant ruby in color. The nose shows zinfandel’s typical mix of jammy berry aromas, along with notes of mint and earth. The palate shows plenty of sweet berry, but with complexity coming from notes of cherry, white pepper, and a hint of smoke. Vibrant acidity and round tannin contribute structure to the wine, and the finish is lush and bright at the same time. This wine shows that just because a wine is big, doesn’t mean it can’t be balanced, the hallmark of a great Zin.
APPELLATION: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
COMPOSITION: 100% Zinfandel
AGING: French Oak barrels
ALCOHOL: 14.5%
PRODUCTION: 140 cases
94 Points
Decadent, rich, and supple. Aromas of black cherry, dark chocolate, crushed stone, dried herbs, and cedar lead into layered notes of cassis, fennel, baked plums, mocha powder, and cigars dusted with roasted Herbs de Provence, earth and red volcanic mineral notes. Full-bodied and rich, with a firm spine of racy acidity and ultra-fine, gravelly tannins that carry the lasting, mouthwatering finish.
93 Points
Aromas of blackcurrant, dark plum, and cedar unfold alongside soft notes of vanilla and toasted oak. On the palate, structured tannins frame layers of black cherry, baking spice, and a subtle herbal lift from the Merlot blended beneath the Cabernet's backbone. Medium-bodied gem with good concentration finishing long and warm, with lingering impressions of cocoa and dried fig.
94 Points
A full-throttle, blackberry-driven red, laden with chalky minerality and layered with robust tannins. Violet scents mingle with fig and plum fruit in a medium- to full-bodied expression that hits all the right chords, delivering a pleasing one-two punch to the senses.
