Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Polished and richly structured, with jammy raspberry flavors accented by notes of baking spices and licorice as this strides toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2032.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is summertime sunshine Zinfandel. Raspberry jam and soft floral aromas dominate the nose, swirling into crème de cassis, cocoa and licorice on the palate. There's enough tannin here for aging, but it's pretty charming stuff in the here and now.
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.
High elevation vineyards—800 to 2,100 feet—on well-drained soils of red and brown clay loam, gravel and large rock outcroppings produce low yields of intense, high-quality fruit. Surrounded by Northern Sonoma County and overlapping Dry Creek Valley in its northwest corner, the Rockpile AVA produces some of California most powerful Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon based wines.