Winemaker Notes
#14 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 of 2020
The 2018 Brady Vineyard Zinfandel is rich and luxurious, featuring deep crimson color and aromas reminiscent of raspberry, and black pepper with subtle notes of vanilla and spice. On tasting, it shows opulent texture, gentle acidity, and savory bramble berry flavors with a hint of velvety oak that lengthens the finish. Enjoy alone, or with smoked or roasted meats, sharp cheeses and with dishes with rich flavorful sauces.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
ineyard 2018 Zinfandel (Paso Robles). Dense aromas of black currant, red flowers and charred meat are wrapped in a rocky edge on the nose of this bottling. There is great cohesion to the palate, where rich red fruits are cut by crushed stone flavors, lifted by savory spice and framed by ample acidity and tannins. Editors' Choice.
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.