Winemaker Notes
Blend: 97% Zinfandel and 3% Petite Sirah.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Ripe dark plum and cassis aromas with licorice and some lightly tarry notes. The palate has a wealth of redcurrant and cassis with a bright, slightly chalky edge to the tannins. A blend of 97 per cent zinfandel, the rest petite sirah. Drink or hold.
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Jeb Dunnuck
From one of the cooler sites this team works with, the 2016 Zinfandel Ponzo (97% Zinfandel and 3% Petite Sirah) offers a more savory style as well as notes of herbes de Provence, plums, blueberries, and peppery herbs. Medium-bodied, silky, and elegant, it’s one of the prettier, more delicate wines in the lineup. I’d drink it over the coming 7-8 years or so, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it keep longer.
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Wine Spectator
An appealingly old-school Zin, offering gutsy, zesty raspberry, blueberry and spicy dill flavors that finish with slightly rustic tannins. Drink now through 2024.
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.