Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This comes from own-rooted vines planted in 1920 at an elevation of 1,500 feet. Winemaker Tegan Passalacqua says the natural acidity was so high this year that the wine took 15 months to complete malolactic fermentation. The 2017 Zinfandel Dupratt Vineyard is very deep purple-black in color with a luscious nose of blueberry compote and boysenberry fruit preserves with a concentrated warm peach cobbler and black fruit core plus hints of dried flowers and exotic spices. Medium to full-bodied, it has loads of lush fruit in the mouth, framed by firm, grainy tannins and mind-bending mouthwatering acidity, finishing very long and very layered with peach and floral flavors coming through.
Rating: 95+
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 large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.