The aromas of our Zinfandel brim with bright cherry, blueberry, raspberry, violet, black tea, and toasted oak. Cherry, berry, vanilla, white pepper, and toasted oak flavors enliven this medium-bodied wine. Our Zin’s smooth and layered flavors pair beautifully with grilled salmon, grilled chicken, or lamb kebabs.SEASON The year started and finished with ample water in the ground and in the reservoirs. An earlier-than-normal bud break with no frost events rolled into warm, sunny spring days. Summer offered classic ripening with cool night and morning temperatures and moderate days. August heated up, bringing the fruit to optimum ripeness for harvest.GROWING REGION Most of the grapes used to create our Zinfandel originate from the Lodi American Viticultural Area (AVA), one of the first recognized winegrowing appellations in California. These grapes give the wine its full, jammy personality. Breezes from the San Joaquin Delta temper the sunny days and develop abundant fruitiness in the grapes. The light, sandy clay loam soils of the region are up to 40 feet deep.WINEMAKING Before fermentation, we destemmed and lightly crushed the grapes. We then fermented the crushed grapes at a slightly cooler temperature, 80°F, to highlight the varietal fruit characteristics. The wines were pressed at dryness to retain balance of flavor and aroma. Finally, the wines underwent aging in French, Hungarian, and American oak, allowing slight toasty oak notes to develop and adding complexity to the wine.
