Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Fresh and earthy, despite a complete embrace of ripeness, this complex red is lovely and memorable in a constructed blur of dried herb, wild strawberry and vanilla. The oak is integrated and supportive, helping to echo a delightful nuance of white pepper.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Not your garden variety Zin, the 2013 Grgich Hills Zinfandel—made with organically grown grapes and fermented with indigenous yeasts—is wildly beautiful. The wine's red and blackberries, brown leaves, and savory earth pair nicely with grilled pork ribs and a piquant dipping sauce. (Tasted: November 7, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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.