Winemaker Notes
This 2007 Old Hill Zinfandel is a well-balanced, graceful, complex wine that will age very nicely. The winekeeps unfolding each time you put your nose in the glass. You'll notice an array of scents and flavors in thiswine; most notably mulberry and blackberry, followed by a strikingly pure, focused finish. The wine gainsintensity with air, making it a great wine for an extended, lingering dinner. It is lovely to be consumed nowor put down for years to come.
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
24% Mixed Blacks. A throwback to another era, this venerable vineyard with its blend of Zinfandel and other varieties has been producing big, rich, deep wines for decades-and this dramatic effort from 2007 is one of the best. It has typically separated itself from its siblings by being the least open of the bunch, and here again, it is not particularly outgoing in aroma but starts with the blackberry focus of the variety and adds layers of rich, complex notes of cocoa, black plums and raspberry preserves and follows through on the palate with tight somewhat polished, balanced flavors that run headlong into the expected edge of astringency at the end. This powerful effort is one to lay away for up to a decade in complete confidence.
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Wine Enthusiast
You can quibble with the price, but there's no doubt about the quality of this Zin. It's extraordinarily deeply flavored, offering waves of wild cherries, cola, anise, molé sauce, pepper spice and sandalwood, wrapped into profoundly fine tannins, and with a long, dry finish. Drink this near-perfect Zinfandel over the next six years.
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.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.