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Wine Details
Price:
Description:
This Vintage, when it opens up, reflects the Elegance & Raspberry fruit flavors of our ’97 while showing some of that Black Pepper that so favorably dominates our ’98 but has more layers of complexity all of which should easily age for many years. Our style of Zinfandel tends to be a more fruit focused & balanced in a way that tends reward more age than some consider ‘traditional for Zinfandel’. When uncorked young, this one takes some time to release its complexities. When we release it I recommend decanting our 1999 for an hour or 2 or safe storage till 2005 & beyond!
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Varietal Definition
Zinfandel:
Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in over 10 percent of California wine vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in the 'heel' of Italy. It is typically made into a robust red wine. Its taste depends on the ripeness of the grapes from which it is made. Red berry fruits like raspberry predominate in wines from cooler areas such as the Napa Valley, whereas blackberry, anise and pepper notes are more common in wines made in warmer areas such as Sonoma County. Many Zinfandels come from head pruned ‘Old Vines’. ‘Old Vine’ is generally understood to mean a vine that is more than 50 years old and that produces less than three tons per acre. ‘Head Pruning’ is an old European style of pruning that trains the vine into the shape of a goblet. It requires no wires or other complex trellis systems. Head pruning spreads the fruit uniformly along the vine and allows light penetration.In the USA a semi-sweet Rosé (blush-style) wine called ‘White Zinfandel’ has achieved widespread popularity. In fact, this popularity has so outstripped all other forms that many fans think there is actually a grape called “White Zinfandel” (there isn’t)!
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