2020 Old Vines Zinfandel, Bacchi Vineyard, Russian River Valley • St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

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2020

Old Vines, Zinfandel

Bacchi Vineyard

Russian River Valley

Tasting Notes

Lean in the front palate, this wine tantalizes the senses with juicy pomegranate, dark ripe berries, and herbaceous hints of Spanish Lavender. The mouthfeel is vibrant yet supple with notes of Earl Grey Tea. The fleshy finish closes with a trace of minerality and an essence of granite.

Vintage Notes

The 2020 growing season enjoyed near-perfect growing conditions. With minimal rain this winter, the vines were awakened with ideal moderate spring-time temperatures, which eliminated any frost threat to the developing buds. At most sites, fruit set was during the optimal timeframe due to warm, consistent conditions. Veraison occurred 7-10 days earlier than previous years due to the temperate weather and minimal rain. Moderate daytime temperatures and cool nights throughout the summer months, with a few of the normal short-lived heat spikes, allowed for excellent flavor development. The year saw an early harvest, with 90% of the region’s grapes being picked before the late Fall.

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 a 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, 25% new, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation, followed by 20 months of aging.