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Zinfandel, Napa Valley, 2006

Zinfandel, Napa Valley, 2006 Wine Details
Price: $44.00 per bottle

Description: Another crop of old vines collaborated to make this 2006 Napa Valley Zinfandel. Notes of blackberry, cloves, fresh-brewed espresso, and caramel combine in the nose to create a lingering sweet and spicy aroma. This bottle is delightful alongside tomato-based sauces and the great flavor combination of cherries and chocolate in the wine as well as a tinge of smokiness help to bring out the zest in a filling stew or pasta dish served with crusty bread. The finish is slightly spicy and fruity, leaving a long lingering finish on your palate.
Silver Medal - 2009 San Francisco Int'l Wine Competition
Silver Medal - 2009 LA Int'l Wine & Spirits Competition
Silver Medal - 2009 Best of the Bay Zin Challenge


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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