Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
This compelling Zinfandel succeeds on a good many levels, and, if getting our unreserved nod of approval for its very generous, incisively berry-like fruit, it gets a second for its wholly exceptional, very careful composition. It is optimally ripened and hits all of the right varietal marks, and it is enriched with a neatly tailored complement of vanillin oak, yet with all of its evident ripeness and oaky extras noted, it is fruity, supple and beautifully balanced right to the end. We worry, in fact, that its uncommon polish will cause it to be drunk up too soon, because it cannot do other than get better with age.
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.