Steele Shooting Star Zinfandel 2000

If there ever was a variety to capture my heart it is Zinfandel. From my earliest days as a winemaker, I was enchanted with the variety. I have had the opportunity, nay the gift of working with some very old and very special vineyards. Each one produces wines of individual character and quality. Here in Lake County there are not as many old vine vineyards as in other areas. It is a good place to grow Zinfandel and we do get grapes from the old Catfish Vineyard but most of the Zinfandel plantings are less than 20 years old. These are nice vineyards and with the gift of time will turn into fantastic old vine Zinfandel. It is our custom to take the fruit that is lighter and less tannic and use it in our Shooting Star bottlings. Two of the vineyards that we get grapes from are located on the flanks of Mt. Konocti the long dormant volcano that dominates the skyline of Lake County. These red volcanic soils are perfect for grape growing. They drain well and are not too fertile and the exposures are wonderful. This wine has great aromas of raspberry, and the flavors are also berry like. We age the wine in older French and American oak barrels and bottle it 7-9 months after the harvest to capture as much of the aroma and flavor of the grape as possible. These are not wines which need to be cellared nor should they be. Enjoy with good spicy foods, grilled meats or sausages.