Winemaker Notes
The 2017 the winemakers were able to put extra focus on the great quality in Contra Costa County (27%), Dry Creek (12%), Sonoma Valley (17%), Alexander Valley (11%), and Lodi (10%) to create a delicious, balanced and juicy wine.
Blend: 86% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah, 5%Carignan, 4% Field Blend Reds
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Old-school meets new in this Zinfandel, with just enough polish and plumpness to match the briary rusticity. Offers expressive black cherry, smoky anise and white pepper flavors. Drink now through 2024.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Morgan, Chris, and the whole crew at the Bedrock Wine Company get it: Make authentic wines that taste good. The 2017 Old Vine Zinfandel is an excellent example of what these guys do. TASTING NOTES: This wine is beautifully balanced, drinks well, and ready for the table. Its aromas and flavors of boysenberries, bramble berries, and a shading of oak should pair it famously grilled baby back ribs with a light hoisin sauce. (Tasted: December 4, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Coming mostly from Sonoma, the 2017 Zinfandel Old Vine is medium ruby in color and opens with fantastic aromas of mixed berry preserves with spiced peaches and cranberry, potpourri, dried hollyhock, rooibos tea and oodles of exotic spices. Medium-bodied, it offers intense tricolored flavor layers with grainy tannins and juicy freshness, finishing long on a peachy note. A perfumed, restrained and delicious style.
The winery’s objectives are:
To channel the fruit of ancient vines into powerful, elegant, and distinctly Californian wines.
To spread the gospel of Syrah in California by sourcing fruit from great terroirs throughout the North Coast.
To proclaim the greatness of Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by sparing no expense on wines of uniqueness and personality.
To reclaim rose’ from the excesses of saignee and focus on precision, delicacy, aromatics, and food friendliness.
To make fascinating and quixotic white wines from unique sites and interesting varietals.
To dream big but keep production low!
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!