Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: I have enjoyed a longtime relationship with the Grgich Hills Estate Zinfandel, and while many have been excellent to outstanding, the 2015 vintage could be their best to date. TASTING NOTES: This wine is expressive and long. Its aromas and flavors of bramble berries and wild fruits stay endlessly and pleasing on the palate. Pair it with a roast tenderloin accented with rosemary and generous turns of the peppermill. (Tasted: March 8, 2019, 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.