Winemaker Notes

Grapes for our 1998 Buehler Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel came entirely from our estate vineyards. Planted in 1972, these mature, dry-farmed, head-trained vines continue to give us meager amounts of delicious hillside zinfandel fruit. The estate block adjacent to the winery is the source of our Napa Valley Zinfandel. The fruit characteristically leans to the strawberry end of the zinfandel spectrum and tends to be more forward and less tannic than our other estate block. Our goal in making our Napa Valley Zinfandel is to make a delicious wine that is true to the variety and vineyard, not an outrageous expression of the monster that can be coaxed from the variety. We prefer to make a zinfandel you can enjoy with a meal instead of a cigar! Aromas of strawberry/rhubarb lead to a medium-bodied mouthfeel, free of heat from alcohol or tannins. It makes a great companion to a meal! David Cronin Winemaker
Buehler Vineyards

Buehler Vineyards

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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.

VWD290700_1998 Item# 47066