Winemaker Notes
The wine is a dark cherry color, with a light garnet rim. Aromatic rose petal, blackberry, cola, and licorice scents are enhanced by a touch of cedar and black peppercorn. Ripe, fruity, black raspberry, plum, and rhubarb flavors are heightened by notes of anise seed, black truffle, and toasty oak. Expect perfumed forward fruit thru 2020, then a deeper, almost Gigondas-like wine in the decade to follow. Cellar through 2024 at 55°F.
Pair with Salmon with dill, Thai green curry, carnitas, Mediterranean lamb – plus your basic roast pork, beef and chicken. The bright red fruit and crisp acidity in this Zin make the perfect “ethnic food” wine
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.
Extending east from the quaint seaside town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Valley’s western vineyards produce cool climate varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot noir while its warmer, eastern end, does well with heat-loving varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Sirah.