2011 Zinfandel Monarch St. Composition: 100% Zinfandel Appellation: California This beautiful butterfly of a blend hails from several of our favorite American Viticultural Areas around California. Grapes from Sonoma Valley, Russian River, Alexander Valley, Contra Costa County, and Lake County were included in this blend and characterize a refined, elegant expression of what California Zinfandel can be. Named after the winery location on Monarch Street, this Zin is soft, fruity, fun and s avory... it s like California...easy and beautiful. All of the wines for this blend were fermented independently in macro bins and barreled down in their respective lots, so that each wine could develop its independent flavors and nuances. Our intention with this Zin was to highlight the characteristics of each appellation and combine them in ways that are complimentary to each other. UPC: 899601002472 Tasting Notes: Cherry exuberantly pops from the glass, followed by flavors and aromas of plum, chocolate, rosemary, coconut, sage, and honeycomb toffee. Barbequed pork, salmon tacos with tomatillo avocado slaw, skirt steak. Cases produced: 800 Alcohol: 15.1% ph: 3.69 Total Acidity: 0.62g / 100ml SRP: $25 20% New French Oak 80% Neutral French & American Oak TTB Aporval: 11355001000390
2011 Zinfandel Reserve Monte Rosso Vineyard Composition: 100% Zinfandel Appellation: Sonoma County California Zinfandel aficionados have long revered bottlings of the varietal from the legendary Monte Rosso Vineyard in the Sonoma Valley AVA. Several blocks of old-vine Zinfandel planted as early as 1890, are still bearing. Although 2011 was a super rough growing year, we were lucky to pick Monte Rosso very ripe, so we still have some of the most amazing fruit to dawn California with it s presence. We received this fruit on October 5th and crushed 1 2 into tank and 1 2 into macrobins. After a one week cold soak, we inoculated the tank and bins with various yeast strains, including one bin we let ferment on it s native yeast. After an ideal fermentation, we pressed off and came down to 30% new French oak. Tasting Notes: A year of barrel aging and a year of bottle aging have done this baby justice. Outstandingly dense aromas of the ripest raspberry and strawberry emanate from the glass followed by flavors of honeycomb, milk chocolate, and berry pie. Barbecued beef, pork, sausage, tomatoes Cases produced: 750 SRP: $40 Alcohol: 15.2% ph: 3.60 Total Acidity: 0.60g / 100ml UPC: 899601002045 TTB Aporval: 11110001000509 30% New French Oak 25% New American Oak 20% American & French Oak 25% Neutral American & French Oak
2012 Rock Hound Red California Composition: 59% Zinfandel 41% Tempranillo Appellation: California The Zinfandel and Tempranillo lots for this wine were fermented independently and then blended together after they were done maturing. The Zinfandel had tank fermentation with two pump-overs daily and was fermented on the RP15 yeast strain which shows berry and cherry flavors. The Tempranillo was fermented in macro bins on native yeast, which always shows wonderful red fruit and spice components. The Tempranillo was aged in all neutral oak, while the Zinfandel saw 20% new French oak during aging. UPC: 899601002045 TTB Aporval: 11110001000509 Tasting Notes: Bright cherry, blueberry, dried herbs and nostalgic aromas of hot chocolate emanate from the glass followed by flavors of strawberry rhubarb pie, blackberry, black tea and a finish that is reminiscent of símores. Barbecued beef, pork, sausage, tomatoes Cases produced: 500 SRP: $14 Alcohol: 14.3% ph: 3.79 Total Acidity: 0.61g / 100ml 20% New French Oak 80% Neutral Oak
2011 Tannat The Palindrome Composition: 100% Tannat Appellation: Sonoma & Solano County Tannat is a red wine grape historically grown in South West France in the Madiran AOC and is now one of the most prominent grapes in Uruguay, where it is considered the national grape. This Tannat is a blend from two different vineyards in two separate climates. We crushed, fermented and rested the two lots independently of one another so they could develop independent flavor profiles. UPC: 8996010002038 TTB Aporval: 11111001000234 Tasting Notes: Fresh cappuccino and dark chocolate, rich blackberry command the aromas, followed by flavors ripe blueberry and rose hips. Grilled meats, blue cheese, piave vecchio, aged New York strip steak, prime pib Cases produced: 900 Alcohol: 15.4% ph: 3.90 Total Acidity: 0.59g / 100ml SRP: $30 30% New French Oak 70% American Oak
2012 Zinfandel Jesse s Vineyard Composition: 100% Zinfandel Appellation: Contra Costa County Most of our Zinfandels are vineyard designates, and in Jesse s case, it is not only a vineyard designate, it is an homage. Jesse is the 93 year old farmer who still farms the 124 year old Zinfandel vines out in Oakley, in Contra Costa County. 2012 was an ideal growing year, climatically and the result was beautiful bounties of perfect fruit. Over three days, September 6th, 7th and 8th we received a marathon (66 tons) of this beautiful old vine Zinfandel. We crushed into three different tanks with 22 tons each. After a one week cold soak, to extract all those beautiful flavors, we inoculated each tank with a different yeast strain. After fermentation, we pressed them together and added malolactic to give a luscious, rich mouthfeel. UPC: 899601002175 TTB Aporval: 11103001000607 Tasting Notes: Toasty marshmallow, black tea, blackberry and milk chocolate jump from the glass followed by flavors of ripe cherry pie, pipe tobacco, menthol and a dusty cocoa finish. Barbecued beef, pork, sausage, tomatoes, pepper sauce Cases produced: 3000 Alcohol: 16.1% ph: 3.50 Total Acidity: 0.69g / 100ml SRP: $30 70% Neutral American & French Oak 15% New French Oak 15% New American Oak
2012 Sauvignon Blanc Lake County Composition: 98% Sauvignon Blanc 2% Muscat Canelli Appellation: Lake County This unique Sauvignon Blanc comes from Sandy Bend Vineyard in Lake County. This vineyard has big, billowing canopies to encourage even ripening. In addition to Sauvignon Blanc, we source Muscat Canelli from this vineyard which attributes the delicious tropical flavors of the wine. The grapes were machine harvested in the cool early morning and then transported down to the winery in macro bins. The result of the fruit being machine harvested is that it has the opportunity to cold soak on the way down, which contributes a tiny bit of grape tannin. We transferred the juice off of the gross lees and inoculated the stainless steel tank with yeast (which exacerbated the tropical notes in the wine). Tasting Notes: Aromatics of peach, apricot and pink grapefruit leap from the glass leading the way to flavors of mango, Asian pear, nectarine, lemonade and orange zest. Caesar salad, citrus, seafood, goat cheese, caviar Cases produced: 1000 Alcohol: 14.1% ph: 3.39 Total Acidity: 0.57g / 100ml SRP: $18 100% Stainless Steel UPC: 899601002199 TTB Aporval: 11111001000214
2012 Obsideana Red Hills Lake County Composition: 50% Zinfandel 50% Petite Sirah Appellation: Lake County Nestled in the Red Hills of Lake County, California, at an elevation of 2,300 feet is Black Rock Ranch. The ranch is named after the large deposits of shiny obsidian rock exposed throughout the volcanic soils. We crushed both the Zinfandel and Petite Sirah in a layered fashion in the tank for a co-fermentation. After a five-day cold soak, we inoculated the tank with D80, and it had a healthy 10-day fermentation. We pressed off and settled in a tank for two days before barreling down to 18 barrels, six of which were new American oak, and the rest used French oak. UPC: 899601002359 TTB Aporval: 13094001000394 Tasting Notes: The result is rich with sarsaparilla, red licorice, graphite minerality, dark chocolate, cherry vanilla, hickory smoke, cola and has a soft, velvety blueberry finish. Game birds, sausage, roasted tomatoes, BBQ sauce, manchego, parmigiano, aged cheddar, black pepper, arugula Cases produced: 2100 Alcohol: 15.1% ph: 3.79 Total Acidity: 0.63g / 100ml SRP: $25 30% American Oak 70% French & American Oak
2012 Chardonnay Estate Russian River Valley Composition: 100% Chardonnay Appellation: Sonoma County The grapes for this delicious wine come from Kent and Kathy Rosenblum s vineyard in Windsor, CA. This hillside vineyard was planted in 1982 with the Old Wente Clone of Chardonnay. (Which has loose clusters and small berries giving us the opportunity for great flavors and disease free fruit.) We received 13 tons of these beautiful green Chardonnay grapes. All the fruit went directly into the press and then into tank to settle off gross lees. After primary fermentation finished, we went into barrel. We inoculated the first seven barrels to finish with malolactic, and the rest got so2. (This way we get a beautiful creaminess, but the bright fruit and acid stay in tact.) UPC: 899601002052 TTB Aporval: 11138001000341 Tasting Notes: The Russian River minerality, soft sugar cookie and angel food aromas and followed by flavors of ripe dried mango, French vanilla and passion fruit. Lobster, fish, shrimp, crab cakes, creamy chowders, chicken, turkey, pork, cream Sauces, mild cheddar Cases produced: 800 Alcohol: 14% ph: 3.95 Total Acidity: 0.65g / 100ml SRP: $35 50% American Oak 50% French Oak