Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard is drop dead gorgeous! Black raspberries, potpourri, toasty oak, and cedar characteristics all soar from the glass. While it seems masculine and a little backward on the nose, this beauty hits the palate with awesome purity and elegance, fine tannin, no hard edges, and a beautiful finish. It has acidity, it has tannin, it has balance, and everything else I was looking for. It’s one of the top Zinfandels in the vintage!
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Hartford Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. Wow—the nose is a knock-out beauty of black cherry cordial, blueberry compote, fruitcake and liquid licorice with hints of roses, lilacs, Indian spices and garrigue. Full-bodied and beautifully structured with firm, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, the palate is generously filled with fruit and spice layers, finishing long and perfumed.
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Wine Spectator
Combines power and polish, offering a deep and complex structure along with rich and refined raspberry, loamy mineral and herbes des Provence flavors that linger on the finish. Drink now through 2026.
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.