Winemaker Notes
Blend: 84% Zinfandel 14% Petite Sirah, 2% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Zinfandel Pound for Pound has a deep ruby color and aromas of wild berry fruit and accents of rooibos tea, wildflowers, apricot, tar and underbrush. Medium-bodied, it floods the mouth with spicy fruit and floral streaks. It is grainy and very refreshing, with a long, detailed finish. Lovely! All that juicy fruit is ideal for barbecue and spicy dishes.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a flavorful and balanced style of Zinfandel, beginning with aromas of boysenberry, blackberry, loamy earth and smoky woodspice. The palate is tense in structure and high in acidity, giving an edge to the violet and blackberry jam flavors.
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Wine Spectator
Gutsy yet expressive, with brooding blackberry, licorice and bay leaf accents that build structure toward broadshouldered tannins.
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.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.