Novy Russian River Zinfandel 2015
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Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
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Wine Spectator
Plump and ripe, this maintains balance and finesse, offering accents of blackberry and raspberry, with licorice, bittersweet chocolate and spice notes. Drink now through 2026.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is the only 2015 wine from Novy that has thus far gone to bottle. The other Novy 2015 wines were tasted as tank samples and show great promise, although I’d prefer to revisit these in a few months and review them as bottle samples. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Zinfandel Russian River Valley offers expressive blackberry, black cherry and baking spice notes with a touch of licorice. Full-boded, concentrated and purely fruited in the mouth, it has a gorgeous velvety texture and a delightful burst of blackberry flavors on the long finish.
Other Vintages
2017-
Spectator
Wine
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Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
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 standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.