Winemaker Notes
Briary blackberry, summer boysenberry, orange peel and hints of sweet baking spices punctuate the nose of this wine. On the entry there is an explosion of focused blue fruit followed by fresh espresso grounds and leather. Despite being tightly wound, this wine shows remarkable balance and freshness. Its intensity and focus will allow it to age beautifully over the next 8-10 years.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2016 Mauritson Rockpile Zinfandel, from the Cemetery Vineyard, is an impressive wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine is packed with flavors. Enjoy is impressive aromas and flavors of blackberries and oak accents with barbecue pork ribs in a savory sauce. (Tasted: May 13, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep garnet-purple, the 2016 Zinfandel Rockpile Cemetery Vineyard delivers notes of burnt tires, black pepper and tilled soil over a core of warm blackberries and black plums plus hints of spice box and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, the palate gives a racy line lifting the abundance of dark fruits and earthy flavors, finishing on a chewy note.
Rating: 91+?
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.
High elevation vineyards—800 to 2,100 feet—on well-drained soils of red and brown clay loam, gravel and large rock outcroppings produce low yields of intense, high-quality fruit. Surrounded by Northern Sonoma County and overlapping Dry Creek Valley in its northwest corner, the Rockpile AVA produces some of California most powerful Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon based wines.