Winemaker Notes
Dark ruby color with bold aromas of black licorice, black pepper, cherry, and baking spice. The entry is rich, full, and scintillating. The palate is mouthwatering and smooth with a hint of chocolate. The finish is voluptuous with soft, velvety tannins.
Blend: 85% Zinfandel; 15% Petite Sirah and Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Rich and spicy nose; dense, earthy, and tangy. The Prisoner strikes again: yet another winner from this mysterious producer and its winemaker Chrissy Wittmann.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Many of us, including myself, can get caught up with the numbers. While the trend in Zinfandels has been high in alcohol, there is no consistent pattern to the wines' quality. The 2016 Saldo—sporting a whopping 15.9%—is one of best balanced Zins amongst the powerhouse players. TASTING NOTES: This a big red wine with excellent balanced. Its bold aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries and oak should pair it well with a grilled ribeye salad that includes flavorful greens, cucumbers, and heirloom tomatoes. (Tasted: May 15, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
Gorgeous ripe, jammy, berry flavors dominate this full-bodied, smooth-textured wine. It smells like blackberries and black cherries, tastes so rich it's almost sweet, and fills the mouth from cheek to cheek with a chocolate-cherry flavor that lingers on the finish.
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!