Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Dense and distinctive, offering an appealing mix of racy red fruit and concentrated blackberry flavors, paired with complex notes of white pepper, bittersweet chocolate and toasty licorice. Tannins sneak in on the finish. Best from 2014 through 2018.
-
Tasting Panel
Silky smooth and spicy with blackberry and tangy cherry; edgy, bright and juicy with lovely flavors and good balance.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Decadently jammed with aromas and flavors of dark plum, blackberry and chocolate, this has subtle layers of black licorice and brawny leather. With small amounts of Syrah and Petit Verdot, this powerhouse gets better in the glass. Chef-turned-vintner Tyler Florence suggests pairing it with osso bucco.
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.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.