Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Plump and polished, with multilayered flavors of cherry and huckleberry highlighted by briar patch and toasty spice notes that glide on the jammy finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Zinfandel Giuseppe & Luisa has pure, layered scents of red cherries, green olives, autumn leaves, white pepper and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate is plush and juicy with nuanced flavors and a long, spicy finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Sporting the iconic old label Martinelli used in the early 1900s, the 2022 Zinfandel Giuseppe & Luisa pours a transparent but more jeweled red color and offers a fresh, juicy profile in the glass, with appealing fruit aromas of fresh red plum, spice, wild brambly herbs, and fresh floral perfume. Medium-bodied and ripe, it has more modest acidity, with a silky tannin structure and a juicy, approachable feel.
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Vinous
The 2022 Zinfandel Giuseppe & Luisa emerges from a 1995 planted site with the Jackass Hill clone next to the winery on the Santa Rosa Plain. Strong floral notes meld into a core of red cherry fruit, apricot, white flowers and mint. As is often the case, this is intensely floral, almost suggestive of white grapes. This is such a pretty and expressive wine.
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.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.