Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
From one of the great AVAs, the 2013 Rosenblum Cellars Rockpile Road Vineyard Zinfandel packs a truckload of berries on the palate. Medium to full bodied, this a superb choice with barbecued pork ribs. Drinks well now. (Tasted: May 9, 2016, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
Plump and zesty, with aromas of crushed stone and raspberry leading to ripe but balanced flavors of black cherry, anise and white pepper. Drink now through 2026. 5,000 cases made.
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.
High elevation vineyards—800 to 2,100 feet—on well-drained soils of red and brown clay loam, gravel and large rock outcroppings produce low yields of intense, high-quality fruit. Surrounded by Northern Sonoma County and overlapping Dry Creek Valley in its northwest corner, the Rockpile AVA produces some of California most powerful Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon based wines.