Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From a site made famous by Larry Turley in the early 1990s, the 2013 Zinfandel Hayne Vineyard (on the back streets of Napa) tips the scales at 15.4% alcohol and spent 16 months in 30% new French oak. This wines does not disappoint. It is a classic, all-American, Napa-styled Zinfandel with gorgeously voluptuous fruit and texture. Big, bold blackcurrant and black cherry flavors, some underbrush, spice box and pepper are all present in this full-throttle, heady wine to drink over the next 5-7 years, although I suspect it can last longer. Only 200 cases were produced.
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.