Winemaker Notes
Our 2017 Dry Creek Zin is a little bit riper than previous vintages, but it carries its concentration and dried-fruit elements with incredible poise. Black-fruit aromas dusted with sweet baking spices co-mingle with star anise. The entry has inviting fruit, followed by a dense and fullbodied mid-palate witchewy tannin's and a nice long finish with beautiful freshness. Enjoy for the next 7-10 years.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
The producer’s only non-estate wine, this hails from some tremendous grower sites, including Faloni, Buchignani and Montecillo. It excels in thick tannins and black pepper, leather and black currant. It offers plenty of structure and intensity, with balanced ripeness and a lasting taste of sweet oak.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep ruby, the 2017 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley contains 6% Petite Sirah and was aged 14 months in French oak. It opens minerally on the nose with rock dust over warm apricot, charcuterie, red cherry preserves, pepper and dried herbs with floral hints. Medium to full-bodied, it gives up mineral-driven fruits with a classy frame of oak spice, firm, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing long and layered. 1,300 cases produced.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Showing resounding Zinfandel success with its series of wines under the “Rockpile Winery” name, Mauritson’s eponymously labeled effort from the Dry Creek Valley is likewise a deep and keenly varietal working that brings together elements of juicy, well-ripened blackberries and blueberries with a sympathetic sweetening dollop of mildly caramelly oak. It tends to tighten a bit after its luscious palatal beginnings, but, if still a touch ragged and tannic, its fruity credentials are never in doubt and ensure that even a few years of age will be handsomely rewarded.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2016 Mauritson Zinfandel is a beautiful example from the Dry Creek Valley. TASTING NOTES: This wine is active and fresh. Pair its aromas and flavors of lovely berries with barbecue lamb burgers on a whole wheat bun. (Tasted: May 13, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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 multifaceted and highly reputable sub-region of Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley is responsible for a wide range of wine styles—both red and white. One of the smallest AVAs in California, Dry Creek Valley has a winning combination of ideal geography and climate. Fertile, well-drained soils create concentrated varietal character while long, warm days, bookended by cool nights, allow grapes to reach full phenolic ripeness and balance. The warm and welcoming appellation is home to a number of family-owned vineyards and wineries that place a strong emphasis on sustainable farming practices.
Zinfandel reigns supreme here and still produces in a great number of very old vineyards—often 100 years old or older. These old vines create a powerful, voluptuous and sultry wine unlike those of any other region. Sauvignon Blanc, the valley’s signature white grape, also performs exceptionally well. Many other varieties grow comfortably here, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Syrah. Petite Sirah is often found in blends with Zinfandel.