Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
On another level, the 2017 Zinfandel Hartford Vineyard is brilliant, ranking with the top Zinfandels in the vintage. Coming from a field blend (It’s mostly Zinfandel) from Hartford’s Estate Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, planted over 100 years ago, it offers an extraordinary bouquet of blue fruits, sandalwood, rose petals, and orange rind. Exotic, medium to full-bodied, incredibly seamless and elegant, and with a great finish, it’s a great bottle that’s capable of evolving for over a decade.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Zinfandel Hartford Vineyard comes strutting out of the glass with gregarious Black Forest cake, black raspberries and prunes notes, plus hints of red roses, black tea, spice cake and fertile loam. Full-bodied, concentrated and jam-packed with fruit preserves and spicy layers, it has a plush texture and compelling freshness, finishing long and perfumed.
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Wine Spectator
Precise and tightly wound right now, offering expressive blueberry, white pepper and evergreen aromas that build tension toward broad-shouldered tannins. Best from 2020 through 2027.
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.