2018 Zinfandel, Banti Vineyard, Alexander Valley • St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

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Zinfandel

Banti Vineyard

Alexander Valley

Tasting Notes

A decadent Zinfandel, fruit from Banti Vineyard exhibits beautiful floral nuances of violet and cherry blossom contrasting richer notes of chocolate-covered berries. The palate is firm, with bright red fruit and an expansive mouthfeel. Chewy tannins introduce exuberant strawberry notes in the lively finish.

Vintage Notes

2018 provided an ideal climate allowing time for the grapes to ripen to their optimum flavor structure. The year presented a fairly mild growing season with few heat spikes, inspiring winemakers to push harvest back a few weeks. This longer time on the vine was great for grapes and the mild temperatures kept the fruit from over-ripening. More than an inch of rain fell in early October in many locations, but there was little impact on the quality of the fruit. 2018 could be remembered as one of the longest and most desirable seasons in years, producing exceptional quality grapes throughout Sonoma County.

Vineyard Notes

The Banti Vineyard in Alexander Valley was planted with Zinfandel in the late 1950s by Art Banti and his father Frank. Today the property is cared for by Art and his wife Sara, carrying on a family tradition of farming that started with Art’s grandparents who came from Italy in the 1900s. Once planted with apples, prunes and hops, this historic valley, located just north of Healdsburg, is now home to many vineyards that flourish in the warm summer months.

Winemaker Notes

The grapes undergo a cold soak before fermentation to extract optimal color and aroma. After primary fermentation, the wine is pumped into French oak barrels, 30% New, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation, followed by 18 months of aging.