Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From head-trained vines more than 100 years old, the 2018 Zinfandel Jolene's Vineyard was aged in French oak, 28% new, for nine months. Medium garnet-purple colored, it opens with notions of blackberry pie, fruitcake and plum preserves plus hints of Indian spices, sandalwood and fragrant earth with a waft of black loam. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and chock-full of black and blue fruit, it has a chewy texture and loads of freshness, finishing with epic length.
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Wine Enthusiast
Head-trained old vines give this wine substantial concentration and a soft fleshy core of lush dark-berry fruit. Nutmeg and black pepper give it a contrast of savory and sweet seasoning wrapped in well-integrated oak.
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Wine & Spirits
Youthful and earthy, this wine starts with a blast of cherry and trumpet-mushroom flavor. For all its power, the wine is tight, the finish hinting at flowering herbs and roses. Impressively structured, this will prove itself with five or six years in the cellar.
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Wine Spectator
Brooding and concentrated, with deep blueberry and blackberry flavors that build tension and structure, accented by stony mineral and sage details on the way to well-buffed tannins. Best from 2022 through 2030.
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.