Winemaker Notes
Planted in 1907 in the sandy loam soils on the east side of Lodi, these ancient vines are interspersed with Grenache, Carignane, and Mission as well. These 117 year-old vines impart pure, classic California old vine Zinfandel aromatics to the wine, including dark stone fruits, dusty dried herbs, and savory cured meats. Youthful and concentrated on the palate, the super fine-grained tannins and lingering acidity maintain a mesmerizing balance and extended finish.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From vines planted in 1907, the 2022 Zinfandel Steacy Ranch is medium ruby in color and takes time to reveal a pure, complex nose of crushed berries, candied stone fruit, autumn leaves, dusty earth and subtle meaty, savory tones. The palate is dense and concentrated yet bound with a youthfully firm, dusty frame and fireworks of mouthwatering acidity on the long, gently coiled finish. While fans of a forward, fleshy style will enjoy this on the young side, this should improve beautifully in the cellar over the coming decade.
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.
Positioned between the San Francisco Bay and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the Lodi appellation, while relatively far inland, is able to maintain a classic Mediterranean climate featuring warm, sunny days and cool evenings. This is because the appellation is uniquely situated at the end of the Sacramento River Delta, which brings chilly, afternoon “delta breezes” to the area during the growing season.
Lodi is a premier source of 100+ year old ancient Zinfandel vineyards—some dating back as far as 1888! With low yields of small berries, these heritage vines produce complex and bold wines, concentrated in rich and voluptuous, dark fruit.
But Lodi doesn’t just produce Zinfandel; in fact, the appellation produces high quality wines from over 100 different grape varieties. Among them are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc as well as some of California's more rare and unique grapes. Lodi is recognized as an ideal spot for growing Spanish varieties like Albarino and Tempranillo, Portugese varieties—namely Touriga Nacional—as well as many German, Italian and French varieties.
Soil types vary widely among Lodi’s seven sub-appellations (Cosumnes River, Alta Mesa, Deer Creek Hills, Borden Ranch, Jahant, Clements Hills and Mokelumne River). The eastern hills are clay-based and rocky and in the west, along the Mokelumne and Cosumnes Rivers, sandy and mineral-heavy soils support the majority of Lodi’s century-old own-rooted Zinfandel vineyards. Unique to Lodi are pink Rocklin-Jahant loam soils, mainly found in the Jahant sub-appellation.