Winemaker Notes
Medium to medium-dark ruby-red. A perfumed nose of red cherry, briar, and brown tobacco leaf. Classic Zinfandel! Medium-full to full-bodied on the palate, flavors of cherry, red currant, and peppery spice build through the long and softly tannic finish
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The base 2019 Zinfandel Sonoma County is terrific, with beautiful purity and elegance as well as ample Zinfandel charm and spice. Medium-bodied, soft, and supple, with lots of plum and red berry fruits and spicy, cedar, and subtle cigar wrapper nuances, it's well worth a case purchase and is ideal for drinking over the coming 5-7 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium ruby-purple, the 2019 Zinfandel Sonoma County offers plush red and blue fruit on the nose, with loads of floral perfume. Medium-bodied, the palate explodes with intense, perfumed fruits and a grainy, fresh frame. The long finish is loaded with bright, spicy accents. This Sonoma County Zinfandel overperforms for the price this vintage.
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Wine Spectator
Brimming with plump and multilayered berry patch, licorice and smoked pepper flavors, this wine captures the essence of Sonoma County Zin.
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.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.