2014 Old Vines Zinfandel, Giovanetti Vineyard, Russian River Valley • St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

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2014

Old Vines, Zinfandel

Giovanetti Vineyard

Russian River Valley

92 Points | International Wine Review | June 2017
Double Gold | California Zinfandel Championship | July 2016

Tasting Notes

This vibrantly colored Zinfandel shows off fresh aromas of red berries and a touch of cinnamon followed by flavors of juicy raspberry, cranberry, rhubarb pie, and a note of white pepper. It’s bright and refreshing with a smooth, lingering finish.

Vintage Notes

Warm sunny days throughout the spring and summer months set the stage for a spectacular harvest in September 2014. The lack of rain meant that harvest began a little earlier than normal and was short in length, finishing up by the end of October. The temperate days leading up to harvest produced good yields of high-quality fruit with concentrated flavors, complex aromatics, and excellent structure.

Vineyard Notes

The historic Giovanetti Vineyard produces one of our most beloved old-vines Zinfandels. Located in the heart of Russian River Valley near Woolsey Road, this small, family-run, 8-acre vineyard was originally planted in Carignane in the late 1800s but was grafted over to Zinfandel and mixed blacks by the Giovanetti family in 1910. Today the vineyard is owned and operated by Phyllis Giovanetti who, at over 80 years old, still does a bit of pruning and oversees a vegetable garden and orchard.

Winemaker Notes

The grapes are hand-sorted and undergo a five-day cold soak before fermentation to extract optimal color and flavor After primary fermentation, the wine is pumped into 100% French oak barrels, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation, followed by 14 months of aging before bottling.