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95 Points | Jeb Dunnuck
91 Points | Wine Advocate
90 Points | Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
Weighty yet elegant this Zinfandel has a deep, rich color and spicy aromas of clove, vanilla, and cherry galette that precede mouth-filling flavors of dark, crushed berries, melted chocolate, and baking spices. Velvety in texture, this is an opulent Zin with a long finish. Critic Jeb Dunnuck calls this wine, “a beautiful Zinfandel that does everything right.”
Vintage Notes
2015 brought an early and light harvest that began on August 10, the earliest date in St. Francis’ history. The year started out very warm and dry but then cool, damp weather in May hampered fruit set. Though the result was smaller, looser clusters on the vine, the warm and consistent summer that followed produced high-quality fruit with exceptional aromatics and concentrated flavors.
Vineyard Notes
This Reserve wine is a combination of both valley floor and hillside fruit from the northern end of Dry Creek Valley, a renowned Zinfandel growing region. After a warm, dry summer, the Zinfandel was picked in mid-August when flavors were at their peak. Added to the blend was Petite Sirah picked in mid-September. Its thick skins and hefty tannins add color and texture to the wine while also contributing balance and length.
Winemaker Notes
The grapes were hand-sorted and underwent an extended cold-soak for five days. Infrequent pump-overs during fermentation allowed for greater color extraction and the ability to control tannin levels. We then complemented this fleshy wine by aging it in 60% new French oak barrels for 20 months to achieve full integration.
WINEMAKER
COLLECTION
GRAPE VARIETIES
10% Petite Sirah
