Winemaker Notes
The 2017 Gamba Starr Road Old Vine Zinfandel is in a word, opulent. With a wonderful hue of dark onyx at the center of the bowl of the glass, moving to garnet at its edges, the brilliant, deep colors draw you in for a closer look. The aroma offers exquisite Luxardo cherries, cocoa, raspberries and subtle cedar. The wine is full in body, yet proportional in every way; mouth filling; and succulent. Dark black fruits, candied nectarine, freshly baked pie crust and an ethereal note of sweet oak fill the palate, surrounded by a backdrop of lifting and zesty acidity to frame the wine. The texture is silky, seamless and balanced, with soft leathery, yet polished tannins. Focused and uncompromising, this artistic and hedonistic expression of Old Vine Zinfandel will leave you satisfied and reaching for the next sip. The finish is long and intense, with effusive fruit and a pleasant minerality note woven into its lifting acidity and kissed with a subtle infusion of toasty oak.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Fragrant, concentrated, and rich with ripe, juicy berry notes. Tangy, spicy, and lively with considerable length, this elevates Zin to a higher level.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Slightly more restrained, the 2017 Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch Old Vine is similarly colored and offers a sweet plum, blueberries, sandalwood, and spice-driven bouquet. This carries to a medium-bodied, elegant, silky Zinfandel that has loads of character, as well as length. Aged 16 months in 40% new American oak (the balance was in used French and American oak), it’s going to keep nicely for upwards of a decade.
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.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.