Castoro Cellars Zinfandel 2016
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The goal for making the Estate Zinfandel is to showcase the beautiful Zinfandel fruit characters. Oak aging is used to frame the fruit and add structure to the wine, without overpowering the bright fruit aromas and flavors. American oak is used for Zinfandel to integrate subtle vanillacoconut flavors into the wine to create a lushness and fullness in the midpalate. A successful Zinfandel starts with harvesting the grapes at the perfect time. Followed by getting the ripe, jammy flavors without waiting too long and getting over-ripe raisin flavors.
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Castoro Cellars was established in 1983 by husband and wife team, Niels and Bimmer Udsen, with the goal of producing world-class wines from Paso Robles, CA. Being over 35 years old, Castoro Cellars is one of the oldest wineries in the Paso Robles AVA and has played a major role in the development of the region.
The winemaker, Tom Myers, has been making wine in Paso Robles since 1978 and joined the Castoro team in 1990. Tom received his Bachelor of Science, followed by his Masters of Science, in Biological Science/Botany from Michigan State University. His interest in winemaking brought him west, to the University of California at Davis, where he received his Masters in Food Science with an Enology/Viticulture focus. Tom is one of the most highly respected winemakers in California.
Unapologetically bold, spice-driven and jammy, Zinfandel has secured its title as the darling of California vintners by adapting well to the state's diverse microclimates and landscapes. Born in Croatia, it later made its way to southern Italy where it was named Primitivo. Fortunately, the imperial nursery of Vienna catalogued specimens of the vine, and it later made its way to New England in 1829. Parading the true American spirit, Zinfandel found a new home in California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Somm Secret—California's ancient vines of Zinfandel are those that survived the neglect of Prohibition; today these vines produce the most concentrated, ethereal and complex examples.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.