Old Vines, Zinfandel

Anacleto Vineyard

Russian River Valley

Tasting Notes

This sun-soaked Old Vines Zinfandel bursts with lively and refreshing notes of raspberry, espresso and vanilla bean. Its underlying floral elements hint at rose petal and sasparilla. The perfume alone draws you into the experience while traditional flavors of white pepper and ripe black cherry play across the palate. The bright and lively acidity is surprisingly refreshing for such mature vines.

Vintage Notes

The 2017 growing season started out wet with record-breaking rainfall after several dry years. A mild spring led to timely bud break and good fruit set, followed by ideal conditions of cool mornings and warm, sunny days throughout the summer months. A few days of intense heat at the beginning of September sped up ripening throughout the region. Well-timed picks meant the majority of fruit was in by the first week of October. Beautiful color, well-defined aromatics and outstanding flavor are all evident in this year’s vintage.

Vineyard Notes

This small-production wine starts with grapes grown on vines that are over 100 years old, planted in the early 1900s by Italian immigrants. Just a short walk south of Healdsburg, near the banks of the Russian River, this select 2-acre block of heritage Zinfandel vines produces small yields of exceptional fruit bursting with ripe, concentrated flavor.

Winemaker Notes

All grapes are hand-picked, hand-sorted and undergo a five-day cold soak to extract optimal color and flavor. After primary fermentation, the wine is pumped into French oak barrels, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation, followed by 16 months of aging.