Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From a high-elevation vineyard in Atlas Peak, the 2013 Zinfandel Mead Ranch (16.1% alcohol) has its origins at a site planted in 1880, although Larry Turley’s block dates only from 1970. The vines are head-pruned and the soils purely volcanic. One the profound Zinfandels from Turley in 2013, this wine is locked-and-loaded, so to speak – powerful, packed, rich, and full-bodied, with blackberry, blueberry, black raspberry and cherry fruit in abundance. It is obviously full-bodied, thick, even unctuously textured, while it seems to have slightly less acidity than some of the other cuvées – or at least, that’s how it presents itself. This is a stunner to drink over the next 10-12+ years. It is a great Zinfandel and one of the most sumptuous and exotic in the portfolio.
-
Tasting Panel
Cranberries, orange zest, savory herbs and wild flowers abound in the 2013 Zinfandel Mead Ranch. Medium in body and nuanced, the Mead Ranch impresses for its delicate, feminine personality and lifted aromatics. Intensely bright, saline-inflected notes flow through to the beautifully delineated finish.
Range: 92-94
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.
Just northeast of Napa city, Atlas Peak boasts some of Napa Valley’s highest elevation vineyards. Here the intense sunlight coupled with cool, nighttime temperatures produce grapes that are perfectly ripe, balanced and concentrated. The appellation is rich in volcanic soils and excels in the production of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.