Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Zinfandel entices the nose with fresh aromas of crushed raspberry, sandalwood, vanilla cream and coffee. A soft, spicy mouthfeel unfolds with juicy flavors of strawberry, cherry, brambleberry and black plum. Secondary hints of dried rosemary and earthy leather bring added complexity to the wine’s fruit-forward character, while peppery notes linger on a smooth, rounded finish. A Zinfandel of depth and finesse.
The richly flavored yet elegant character of the 2021 Zinfandel makes it versatile with food. Suggested pairings include rustic sausage flatbread, lamb chops with rosemary, barbacoa tacos and turkey with cranberry sauce.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Root beer, mocha, coffee, and dried violets are the pleasurable first notes of this aromatic red aged 16 months in French and American oak. Fresh notes of black raspberry plus a touch of anise and rosemary meld with a peppery finish of leather and cedar.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a very successful Zinfandel, blending earth, spice and fruit into a savory, yet thirst-quenching package. Aromas of cherry, toasted almond, thyme and asphalt lead from the nose into a tense palate of blueberry, oregano, peppercorn and spicy red-flower flavors.
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Wine Spectator
A gusty Zin, featuring energetic blackberry and cherry flavors that take on licorice and bittersweet mocha accents as this finishes with briary tannins. Drink now through 2031. 6,066 cases made.
We are a family-owned winery specializing in estate-grown wines from Margarita Vineyard, the southernmost vineyard in the Paso Robles appellation on California’s Central Coast.
Just look at a map of Paso Robles wineries and at the very southern tip you will find our Vineyard. Here, amid the rugged Santa Lucia mountain range just 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean, Margarita Vineyard stands alone as the only vineyard in its vicinity, and thus the only vineyard to benefit from the extraordinary growing conditions of the area. Margarita Vineyard resides in the historic Santa Margarita Ranch, which was first planted to vines by Franciscan missionaries in 1774.
Ancient Peaks and Margarita Vineyard are owned by three longtime local winegrowing families—the Filipponis, Rossis and Wittstroms—who are actively involved in the daily operations of the vineyard and winery. Ancient Peaks wines are crafted under the guidance of Mike Sinor, a local winemaking veteran and one of the highest-rated winemakers on the Central Coast.
Ancient Peaks implements numerous sustainable viticultural practices to ensure natural quality in their wines while protecting the rich, native environment surrounding the Margarita Vineyard. Their practices have earned SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Certification for Margarita Vineyard, the leading standard for viticultural sustainability.
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.
Composed of steep mountain slopes of ancient Salinas River origins at 900 to 1,400 feet in elevation, Santa Margarita Ranch is in the southern portion of the greater Paso Robles AVA.