Tasting Notes
Our classic California Zinfandel is dark purple-ruby, with a bright crimson hue. On the nose, concentrated aromas of blackberry and raspberry meld with clove and spice. Lush flavors of raspberry, blackberry jam, plums and vanilla flood the palate, followed by touches of white pepper in the background. Plush and round tannins and great length make for a fresh and enticing finish.

Vineyards
This wine blends lots from select vineyards in top growing regions: El Dorado (60%), Sierra Foothills (23%), Lake (14%) and Napa (3%) counties.

Winegrowing
A cool spell in August stalled harvest a bit at the outset, but a warm September brought a mad dash to the finish. 2016 brought another high-quality vintage despite small volumes for some varietals due to cool, rainy weather at flowering. Sustainable farming practices throughout the growing season were tailored to each block with the assistance of aerial photos produced using NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) technology. The fruit was handpicked at night and sorted in the vineyard, then transported by refrigerated trucks to the winery.

Winemaking
The grapes were carefully destemmed and optically sorted to ensure only perfect fruit made it into the wine. A cold soak extracted color and flavor before primary fermentation began in tank. The wine was gently basket-pressed, then racked to oak barrels to finish primary fermentation, malolactic fermentation and aging.