2016 Shannon Ridge Reserve Zinfandel Two Bud Block

2016 Shannon Ridge Reserve Zinfandel Two Bud Block

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtUSAZinfandel

SHANNON RIDGE

2016 RESERVE ZINFANDEL
TWO BUD BLOCK

2016 Shannon Ridge Reserve Zinfandel Two Bud Block
Zinfandel grown at high elevations can be positively affected by extreme conditions, such as more concentrated sunlight and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts. These factors create more stress on the vines, resulting in smaller, more concentrated berries. Translated onto your taste buds, Mountain-grown Zinfandel expresses greater power, more savory intensity, richness, and depth. Lucky for us, not all of them are expensive. At our price, Shannon Ridge’s 2016 Two Bud Block Reserve Zin is extraordinarily delicious. 
 
Shannon Ridge’s Home Ranch Vineyard is sustainably farmed, perched at 2,400 feet in the recently formed High Valley Appellation in Lake County. The site’s lean volcanic soils combine with cool marine breezes that flow across the valley and produce exceptional fruit. 
 
The winery sources their reserve wines from the best blocks in the vineyard, and they barrel-age them for around 24 months, resulting in age-worthy wines that are intensely powerful and well-balanced. 
 
SHANNON RIDGE
2016 RESERVE ZINFANDEL
TWO BUD BLOCK
Retails at: $38
 
 
 
“The fruit flavors in this full-bodied and luxurious wine go very deep, offering blackberry and cherry-syrup impressions on the layered and velvety texture. Baking spices like cinnamon, vanilla and clove dress up the aroma and finish.”
90 Points
 
“The aromas are reminiscent of late summer dusty roads, blackberry pie, and vanilla oak. The flavors are true to the terrior; complex with milk chocolate, grilled meats and an integrated dark fruit and oak finish.”
2016 Peter Franus Zinfandel Brandlin Vineyard Mount Veeder

2016 Peter Franus Zinfandel Brandlin Vineyard Mount Veeder

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSAZinfandel

PETER FRANUS

2016 ZINFANDEL
BRANDLIN VINEYARD
MOUNT VEEDER

2016 Peter Franus Zinfandel Brandlin Vineyard Mount Veeder
Zinfandels’ most distinct characteristics shine at high elevations. The altitude contributes to the vine’s ability to produce more concentrated fruit with amplified structure, savory intensity, and richness. Peter Franus, whom Robert Parker wrote has “the Midas touch when it comes to Zinfandel,” has sourced his Zin from the Brandlin Vineyard at 1200 feet elevation on Mount Veeder since the early ’90s. The 2016 release is a stunning example of Mountain grown Zinfandel, and at our price, the value is abundant.
 
Brandlin was planted in the 1920s and is one of the oldest vineyards on Mountain Veeder. The family planted the hillside vineyard to a field blend with multiple varietals, and the head-trained vines rely on winter rains as their sole source of irrigation. This dry-farming practice creates a deep root system that perfectly articulates the terroir of the Mountain. 
 
Peter ferments his Zinfandel at a cooler temperature to accentuate the zesty and forward fruit. He also ages exclusively in Burgundian French oak barrels, which adds complexity and increases refinement. 
 
PETER FRANUS
2016 ZINFANDEL
BRANDLIN VINEYARD
MOUNT VEEDER
Retails at: $40
 
 
 
“My immediate impression of the 2016 vintage—classic Brandlin! Brilliant medium ruby with an array of aromatic notes—bramble fruits, white pepper, basil, rose petal, and a touch of sweet oak. The palate entry is gentle, leading to flavors of anise and strawberry. The wine embraces that PF goal of a structure that is elegant, balanced, lively and refreshing. The lengthy finish will return to remind you how much you are enjoying this wine.”
2016 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Zinfandel Mayacamas Range

2016 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Zinfandel Mayacamas Range

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaUSAZinfandel

STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS

2016 ZINFANDEL
MAYACAMAS RANGE

2016 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Zinfandel Mayacamas Range
Storybook Mountain Vineyards has always been a treasured producer for those “in the know” and has ranked on the Wine & Spirits magazine top 100 list on fifteen occasions; that list is ever-growing. It’s the winery’s elevation, eastern exposure, and red clay-loam soils that join forces and create a terroir capable of producing world-class Zinfandel. The results speak for themselves, and fans of elegantly styled Zins with penetrating fruit, unique Mountain complexity, and long expansive flavors should invest in this 94 point treasure.
 
Andre Tchelistcheff advised Dr. Jerry Seps that the hills above Calistoga, with their red clay-loam soils and eastern exposures, were the best place in California to plant Zinfandel vines. Today, the vineyard is divided into over 100 micro-blocks based on varietal, sun exposure, rootstock, and clone, all farmed organically and without irrigation.  
 
Jerry aged this Zinfandel in a combination of French and American oak barrels inside the 130 years old caves, dug into the volcanic rock. The yields are also severely regulated by two green harvests in May and June, where only the best clusters are kept on each vine, resulting in just 2 to 2.5 tons/acre of pristine Zinfandel fruit.  
 
STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
2016 ZINFANDEL
MAYACAMAS RANGE
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
“While Eastern Exposures (also recommended here) may prove to be longer lived than the Mayacamas Range zin from 2016, this wine is more compellingly delicious right now. “I was happy this was in my mouth,” said Jared Hooper of LA’s Faith & Flower when he tasted it. Maria Garcia from the Wine House in Santa Monica described it as “pinot-noir-esque, with more of the weight I want in zinfandel.” In fact, when our pourer, Lewis Hurrell, was griping to me about a ZAP tasting he’d attended, I suggested he taste this wine, along with another (the Storybook Reserve). “Those wines changed my mind about zinfandel,” he told me later. So, if you don’t think of zinfandel as lively, zesty and fresh, a sleekly fruited backdrop for the scent of a meadow in June, try this wine. I can’t guarantee you’ll like it, but I would wager that you will.”
94 Points
 
“The Mayacamas Range Zinfandel is our primary estate wine from 100% Napa Valley organically grown grapes. Here you will find all the varietal character and fruit for which Zinfandel is famous, plus the depth and structure associated with Napa hillside vineyards, and the balance for which Storybook wines are known. Crafted to be enjoyed on release, the wine’s notable depth and balance will continue its appeal well into the future.”
2019 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

2019 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

LIMERICK LANE

2019 ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2019 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley
Limerick Lane dials in an ideal balance of rich, powerful, and expressive Zinfandel that’s simultaneously fresh, bright, and focused. The winery is run by fourth-generation winemaker Jake Bilbro who grew up at his father’s Marietta Cellars. The wines are made by Chris Pittenger, who gained first-hand experience working at iconic wineries Biale, Torbreck, Marcassin, and Williams-Selyem. The previous vintage earned a monstrous 95 point rating from Jeb Dunnuck, and this new vintage is even better.
 
Limerick Lane’s Russian River Zinfandel at the core is a field blend, which includes ancient Zinfandel vines interplanted with other rare varieties like Pelousin and Negrette. The fruit is co-fermented and offers unparalleled power, depth, and stunning definition.  
 
The 2019 vintage is built around a base of Estate fruit and includes grapes from 5 carefully selected sites, including Sodini vineyard, which Bedrock and Carlisle fans might recognize. Chris ages this Zinfandel for 18 months in predominantly neutral barrels to maintain the beautiful fresh fruit and striking acidity that makes their Zin’s unique. 
 
LIMERICK LANE
2019 ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
“Our Russian River Zinfandel is our flagship wine. Originally planted by Italians at the start of the 1900’s, this wine hearkens back, in some ways, to a different time. While seamless and with an unparalleled clarity of flavor and aromas, there is also an undeniable gravity that Limerick Lane Zinfandel seems to exude. It may be nothing more than a romantic appreciation for the hands that have tended these vines for over a century. It’s possible that it is a result of the other varieties, now all but extinct, save for a few old Zinfandel vineyards like Peloursin, Negrette, and Petite Sirah, that add more structure, color, and acid than normally found in Zinfandel. Maybe the rocks, the dirt, the morning fog and the afternoon sun come together in this place a little differently than anywhere else. It may even be all of these special characteristics combined, but the Zinfandel grown at the end of this little lane is undeniably special, undeniably unique, and undeniably “Limerick Lane.”
2018 Gamba Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch

2018 Gamba Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

GAMBA

2018 ZINFANDEL
STARR ROAD RANCH

2018 Gamba Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch
Gus Gamba specializes in ancient vines and can act as a human conduit for those vines to tell their best story in every vintage. In 2018, the tale flowed seamlessly, and Gus noted that this harvest was one of the smoothest he had ever experienced. The century-old vines of Starr Road Ranch produced intensely flavored berries with a powerful focus and brilliant detail. With solid reviews from Robert Parker and Jeb Dunnuck, now is the time to secure yours.
 
The Starr Road Ranch Zin comes from an organically farmed vineyard planted in 1920, where the ancient 95 year old vines rely on winter rains as their sole source of irrigation. They yield just 1.5 tons per acre of strikingly intense, concentrated, pristinely focused fruit.
 
Gus and his winemaking team double hand-sort the berries, with only the best making their way into fermentors. Next, the 2018 release spent an impressive 18 months aging in primarily American oak barrels, contributing to the spice characteristics. 
 
 
GAMBA
2018 ZINFANDEL
STARR ROAD RANCH
Retails at: $52
 
Your Price: $45
 
“The 2018 Zinfandel Old Vine Starr Road Ranch has restrained aromas of cranberry sauce, apricots and sweet berry fruits with accents of aniseed and bitter citrus peel. Medium to full-bodied, it floods the mouth with dense fruits set in a chewy frame and finishing slightly warm.”
91 Points
 
“Spice box, cedarwood, brambly herbs, and red and black plum notes all emerge from the 2018 Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch. Medium-bodied, with a core of sweet fruit as well as a focused style on the palate, it’s a pleasure-bent Zinfandel to drink in its youth.”
89 Points
 
“The 2018 Gamba Starr Road Old Vine Zinfandel exhibits a brilliant and beautiful, deep scarlet color. The aroma offers dark berries, blackberry compote, brown spices and a compelling hint of creamy oak. The wine is medium to full in body, with a mouth-watering, and full throttle fruit profile. Balanced, yet rich with dark black fruits, cinnamon stick, freshly baked butter pie crust with a note of cocoa and spice that fill the palate. The wine is woven with a lifting acidity that propels the wine giving it a pleasant buoyancy and freshness on the palate. The texture is polished, with soft leathery tannins. This is a classic Old Vine Zinfandel that will deserve a special place in your cellar. The finish is youthful, and intense, and enjoyable now, but will continue to get better with time in the cellar.”
2018 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile

2018 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile

with No Comment $30 and underCentral CoastKevin VogtUSAZinfandel

TURLEY

2018 ZINFANDEL
JUVENILE

2018 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile
Turley Wine Cellars prides itself on being stewards of historic vineyards and producing forty-seven wines from over fifty Certified Organic sites. The winery has been a benchmark producer of Zinfandel for nearly three decades, which started with their first vintage of 1993 Hayne Zinfandel when it ranked #11 on the Wine Spectator Top 100. They’ve remained a paragon in their field ever since, and their Juvenile Zin made from younger vines is a beautiful introduction to the magic of Turley. 
 
They created the 2018 Juvenile from vines ranging 6 to 25 years pulled from a vast selection of renowned vineyards, including Hayne, Pesenti, Salvador, Fredericks, and Turley Estate. This release encompasses 29 separate vineyards and offers a beautiful snapshot of the vintage and Turley’s winemaking style. 
 
The winery has always attracted some of California’s most talented winemakers, beginning with Helen Turley. Helen passed the torch to winemaker Ehren Jordan, and now Ehren to Tegan Passalacqua, who worked under Jordan before becoming Director of Winemaking.
 
TURLEY
2018 ZINFANDEL
JUVENILE
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
“The 2018 Zinfandel Juvenile has a medium ruby-purple color and gentle aromas of perfumed red berries and earth. The palate is medium-bodied with soft, restrained fruits, a grainy frame, good freshness and an easy finish.”
90 Points
 
“The 2018 Zinfandel Juvenile is a pretty, fragrant wine that will drink well right out of the gate. Bright floral and red-toned fruit notes convey a real sense of energy in this perfumed, entry-level Zinfandel from Turley. This is such a pretty wine. I very much like the energy here.”
89 Points
 
“A luscious fruit bomb, jammed with fresh cherry and spiced caramel flavors that flesh out on a long, fruit-friendly finish. Drink now through 2025…”
89 Points
 
“Bright, vibrant pepper and spice with lovely lifted red fruits, satiating acidity and a hint of blue fruits as well. Lithely textured with pure precision and tons of energy on the palate.”
2014 Valdez Zinfandel St. Peter's Church

2014 Valdez Zinfandel St. Peter’s Church

with No Comment $30 and underAlexander ValleyKevin VogtSonomaUSAZinfandel

VALDEZ

2014 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH 

2014 Valdez Zinfandel St. Peter's Church
California Zinfandel comes in many different styles, ranging from intensely jammy to concentrated and brawny, over to linear, elegant, and balanced. Valdez falls in the brawny, solidly-built category with a deep core of fruit, unending depth, and escalating persistence. When we sold out of the winery’s value-priced Sonoma County Zin, we filled the void with their 2013 St Peter’s Church Vineyard, and now that that’s gone, here’s a chance to order their 2014 at a price that’s way too good to pass up… 
 
The Valdez family are some of California’s most sought after wine growers, farming for top producers like Aubert, Kistler, Paul Hobbs, and many others. Their St Peter’s Church Zinfandel is simply one of the best Zins produced in California, which is why their 2013 earned a spot on my top 5 wines list in 2018. 
 
Carved from one of Sonoma county’s most exceptional vintages, the 2014 Valdez St Peter’s Church Zinfandel hails from a 5-acre vineyard in Alexander Valley that’s planted to nearly century-old vines. At our price, this is one of the best Zins that I’ve tasted, period… 
 
VALDEZ
2014 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH
Retails at: $45
 
 
 
“This focused, penetrating zinfandel flaunts intense flavors and aromas of rich Bing cherries, concentrated cranberry, and black currants with hints of Spring flowers, bakers chocolate and black olives. The amazing balance of flavors makes your palate thirst for more after every sip of this beauty.”
2018 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

2018 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaReviewUSAZinfandel

ROBERT BIALE

BLACK CHICKEN ZINFANDEL
2018 NAPA VALLEY

2018 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

 
The Biale family has deep roots in Napa Valley agriculture, and their flagship Black Chicken Zinfandel is an absolute classic. The story of how the wine got its name is as rich and intriguing as the wine itself. In the 1940s, the Biale’s were also poultry farmers, but had a multiparty phone line. To stay incognito with their wine sales, customers would call and ask for a dozen eggs and a Gallo Nero or Black Chicken, which was the code-word for a jug of Aldo Biale’s homemade Zin. Fast-forward some 80 years later, and Black Chicken Zinfandel has a rock solid reputation for its relentless quality.
 
The Biale’s source the iconic Black Chicken Zinfandel grapes from the same vineyard that they’ve farmed for generations. This vineyard is in Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll district, where the complex soils and a micro-climate that’s one of the coolest in Napa Valley produces gorgeous fruit with incredible character.  
 
The 2018 vintage was a faultless growing season, that was virtually uninterrupted by significant heat spikes, providing a prolonged hang-time, allowing the fruit to accumulate intense flavor and complexity. The resulting wine is penetrating, deep and supple, with laser definition and a mouth-quenching elegance that’s a hallmark for the wine. 
 
ROBERT BIALE
BLACK CHICKEN ZINFANDEL
2018 NAPA VALLEY
  
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
 
 “… The nose is full of vibrant black cherries, raspberries, cinnamon, white cake, fresh purple flowers, and subtle dried herbs. The entry is bright and gives way to supple, round tannins with a kiss of toasted oak. The lovely finish is the signature of this elegant and remarkably balanced Zinfandel.”
2017 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore Vineyard

2017 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore Vineyard

with No Comment $30-$40CoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSAZinfandel

MIKE AND MOLLY

2017 ZINFANDEL
R.W. MOORE VINEYARD

2017 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore VineyardThe only thing deeper than the roots of the ancient vines in the 1905 planted R.W. Moore Vineyard, is the combined family ties in the Napa Valley wine industry of Mike & Molly Hendry. Mike’s grandparents purchased 120 acres at the base of Mount Veeder in the 1930s, where the Hendry Winery sits today, and Molly grew up visiting her uncle Bill at his R.W. Moore Vineyard, which Turley and Biale fans recognize. 

The historic R.W. Moore Vineyard is located in Napa Valley’s highly acclaimed Coombsville region and is an entirely dry-farmed vineyard, where winter rains are the sole source of irrigation. The vines are a field blend of approximately 95% Zinfandel intermixed with Petite Sirah, Carignane, Mourvedre, and Mourtaou. 
 
The wine team made the 2017 vintage in a richly elegant, enchanting style that envelopes your palate in plush dark fruits, satiny tannins, and compelling spice notes. At $36, this Old Vine Zinfandel is an absolute joy.
 
MIKE AND MOLLY
2017 ZINFANDEL
R.W. MOORE VINEYARD
Retails at: $40
 
 
 
 
“This graceful wine is aged in French oak, one-third of it new. Brambly, rich red fruit remains lifted and structured on the palate, alongside a grip of baking spice, black pepper and leather.” 91 Points
 
 
 
“A blend of 95% Zinfandel and 1% each of Petite Sirah, Carignan and Mourvèdre as well as 2% of the rare Cabernet Pfeffer. In some years it shows red fruits like raspberry and cherry; in others, dark fruits like black cherries and blackberries. The vines are dry-farmed, giving small, peppery, intense berries. Drinking Window 2020 – 2028” 91 Points
2018 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

2018 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

LIMERICK LANE

2018 ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2018 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

 
When a winery employs the right combination of talent and drive, the sky is the limit… Limerick Lane is owned by fourth-generation winemaker Jake Bilbro who grew up at his father’s Marietta Cellars, where he spent 16 years running the winery with his dad. The wines are made by Chris Pittenger, who gained first-hand experience working at iconic wineries Biale, Torbreck, Marcassin, and Williams-Selyem. The delicious result is in each bottle of this impressive 95 Point Russian River Zinfandel.
 
Limerick Lane’s Russian River Zinfandel at the core is a field blend, which includes ancient Zinfandel vines interplanted with other rare varieties like Pelousin and Negrette. The fruit is co-fermented and offers unparalleled power, depth, and stunning definition.  
 
The 2018 was built around a base of Estate fruit and includes grapes from Sodini, which Bedrock and Carlisle fans might recognize. The vintage also perfectly balances fruit from Webber, Katz-Ponzo & Banfield Vineyards. The result is a brilliant wine that Zinfandel fans will be rejoicing over for years to come.
 
LIMERICK LANE
2018 ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
Your Price: $39.99
Click to Order
 
 
 
“The 2018 Zinfandel Russian River Estate shows the quality of the vintage beautifully. Classic black and blue fruits, violets, peppery herbs, and spiced orange zest notes all emerge from the glass, and this puppy hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, no hard edges, a seamless texture, and just everything in the right places. Flawlessly balanced and already a joy to drink, it’s going to keep for 10-12 years in cold cellars.” 95 Points