Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The debut release from a new terroir, the 2000 Zinfandel Mead Ranch Atlas Peak exhibits an intriguing higher altitude note of jammy raspberries intermixed with floral scents. As the wine sits in the glass, interesting Amarone-like characteristics jump out. This full-bodied, earthy, chewy, and rich wine is a superb effort from an organically farmed vineyard planted in red volcanic soil. The alcohol is a whopping 15.7%, and there are 500 cases of this blockbuster Zinfandel.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.