2018 Old Vines Zinfandel, Sonoma County • St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

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2018

Old Vines, Zinfandel

91 Pts | Wine Spectator | March 2021
98 Pts | International Women's Wine Competition | May 2021
Best of Class | International Women's Wine Competition | May 2021
Double Gold Medal | International Women's Wine Competition | May 2021

Tasting Notes

A vibrant blend of old vine fruit, this aromatic wine offers layers and layers of rich, fruit flavors and spice. Juicy raspberry, blackberry preserves, and a touch of dried cranberry are balanced with spicy notes of cinnamon and black pepper that merge with a lengthy finish.

Vintage Notes

A fairly mild spring and summer with few heat spikes allowed our 2018 harvest to begin right after Labor day, later than previous years. The consistent growing season and cooler temperatures allowed for slow ripening and deep flavor development resulting in exceptional quality fruit with remarkable balance and brightness.

Vineyard Notes

The grapes in our Sonoma County “Old Vines” Zinfandel come from vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma Valley, Alexander Valley, and Russian River Valley. Planted 50 to more than 100 years ago, many of these historic vines are planted on St. George rootstock and are head-pruned and dry-farmed, producing low yields of fruit with highly concentrated, intense flavors and aromas.

Winemaker Notes

The grapes are gently de-stemmed and crushed before cold-soaking for three days to extract optimal color and flavor. The fruit is then inoculated with many different yeast strains to build complexity, then fermented in separate lots using a combination of pump-overs and delestage to soften tannins. Secondary malolactic fermentation occurs in French oak barrels. The wine aged in a barrel for sixteen months before final blending and bottling.