Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Deep, fully stated, rich and somewhat juicy at one and the same time, this outgoing effort will be too ripe for some but is bound to be appreciated by those who enjoy the expansive, extracted style of Zinfandel. Its oak and light cedary notes add to its range, and its moderate tannins supply both solidity and more than a few years of sure ageworthiness. Be sure to partner it with foods such as long-cooked pork shoulder in savory sauces or a garlicladen leg of lamb.
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Wine Spectator
Plump and well-structured, with cherry and smoky anise aromas and zesty black raspberry, tarragon and spice flavors. Drink now through 2024.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
An excellent Napa Valley Zinfandel, the 2014 Brown Estate offers pinpoint ripe berries, a shading of sweet oak, and well-choreographed ripe tannins. The wine's palate generosity makes it a delicious pairing with BBQ pork ribs. (Tasted: February 25, 2016, San Francisco, CA)
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.