Charles Krug St. Helena-Napa Valley Zinfandel 2007 Front Label
Charles Krug St. Helena-Napa Valley Zinfandel 2007 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

The 2007 season began dry, about 60% of normal precipitation with some very cold days and single-digit nighttime temperatures around the New Year holiday. Temperatures were warmer than normal as winter continued into spring with resulting earlier budding, bloom and set in the vineyards across all varieties. The summer months continued on the mild to cool side, with few days topping 100 degrees. There was a brief period of heat that spiked around Labor Day, but the temperatures cooled after several days. This year clusters, as well as individual berries on the clusters – though set at a normal quantity – were notably smaller in all varieties due to the dry season.

A medley of blackberry, raspberry, cherry and prunes open up the ripe aromas and flavors of our Zinfandel. Reminiscent of cedar wood and pepper spice, this luscious wine is rich and dense with supple tannins and a long finish.

Professional Ratings

  • 88
    While its high percentage of Petite Sirah raises the specter of obvious tannin, this lively, well-fruited Zinfandel is largely free of toughness. It is, fact, buoyant and bright with a long line of zingy, young, berry-like fruit, and it is just the kind of well-balanced wine that we envision when looking for the right partner for pastas bathed in rich Bolognese meat sauces.
Charles Krug

Charles Krug

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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.

SWS279907_2007 Item# 107605