Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From vines planted in 1945, the 2017 Zinfandel Dusi Vineyard has a medium to deep ruby color and nose of preserved peach, dried blueberry, violet and lilac with lush ripe fruits at the core and an earthy/herbs hint. Full-bodied, it has great layers of peachy and tricolored fruits in the mouth with lovely perfume. It's framed by firm, pleasantly grippy tannins and good juicy acidity to carry the very long, savory-laced finish. 1,775 cases produced.
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International Wine Cellar
The 2017 Zinfandel Dusi Vineyard is powerful, explosive and totally stunning. Perhaps even more importantly, the Dusi conveys all the natural richness that comes so easily in Paso Robles. The 2016 is a wine of breadth and power, with copious dark cherry, chocolate, leather, menthol and spice character. I love the textural breadth here. Range: 92-95
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Wine Spectator
Spirited but refined, featuring expressive raspberry and rose petal aromas, with finely focused cherry, stony mineral and pepper flavors that build richness toward polished tannins.
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.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.