2017 Old Vines Zinfandel, Bacchi Vineyard • St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

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2017

Old Vines, Zinfandel

Bacchi Vineyard

Russian River Valley

Tasting Notes

This briary Zinfandel displays aromas of wild blackberry, fresh sage leaf, and sandalwood. A soft mouthfeel of dark chocolate mint, ripe plum, and cardamom envelop the middle palate and delicately transition to a long bright acidity on the finish, glowing with fresh berry and baking spice notes.

Vintage Notes

The 2017 growing season started out wet with record-breaking rainfall after several dry years. A mild spring led to a 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 the 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 vineyard is picked & fermented by its two distinct blocks: the House Block which has smaller yields & more mixed varieties producing a dark dense wine. The other block, known as the Hill Block, is almost exclusively Zinfandel & makes wine much brighter in fruit and spicier aromatics.

Winemaker Notes

The grapes undergo a five-day cold soak before fermentation to extract optimal color and aroma. After primary fermentation, the wine is pumped into French oak barrels, 20% new, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation, followed by 15 months of aging.