Winemaker Notes
The hedonistic style of our 1998 Estate Zinfandel reflects our belief that great Zinfandel should give great pleasure and drinking it should not be like undergoining a high-alcohol, high-tannin, and highly volatile fermented raisin juice tolerance test. Forward rasberry and briar patch aromas are wrapped in a lush, juicy, seemingly sweet (it isn't) package built for pure pleasure. Our puritan ancestors would be appalled at the notion of such decadence.
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.