Bernardone Family Winery 'banti Vineyard' Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2012

For the keeper of the (wine) cellar key—the family's designated vacation somm—the silver lining in a smaller Thanksgiving gathering this year is that the job volition be easy. No demand to supply the disparate vino tastes of a sprawling bandage of relatives. It's the yr for a deep swoop into i wine of your own choice. And there'southward no better wine to explore this Thanksgiving than Zinfandel from some of California'south oldest vineyards.

Nothing comes every bit close to being an American wine than this blood-red. Sure, Zin's roots (so to speak) might be traced to Croatia (and they accept been). Merely the dark-skinned variety cornerstoned many of the vineyards planted by immigrants to California in the late 1800s, often interplanted with other grapes in field blends dubbed "mixed blacks." And more deft-handed winemakers than ever are committed to shepherding these legacy vineyards (which don't have to exist centurions) with vine-by-vine farming and taking as much care raising the wines in the cellar every bit they would a top-flight Cabernet.

Beyond its credentials as the nigh American of wines, Zinfandel offers a cracking bargain as a foil for the traditional spread on our Thanksgiving tables. Turkey itself is rather a blank slate, but what nosotros load it up with and pile around it tends to exist fruity (cranberry sauce, apple tree slaw), spicy (hot Italian sausage in the dressing), and herbal (sage butter under the skin). Onetime vine Zin checks all those boxes itself, with layers of berry flavors, baking spices, and savory herbs throwing bridges to more of the meal than about other wines can handle.

Bob Biale—proprietor of his family'south namesake winery, which produces more than fifteen Zinfandels, many designated from sometime vineyards rescued and revitalized—explains why he's willing to preserve Zinfandel in the likes of R.W. Moore Vineyard in Napa's cool Coombsville AVA, where he could easily go twice as much for a bottle of Cab. "These legacy Zinfandel vineyards are extraordinary, consistent and unique. They've stood the test of time and take become famous for their proven ability to perform at the highest level. The wines offer unforgettable impressions." (Then, too, there was some advice from Robert Mondavi in 1984 to Bob'south father, most the Zin in the R.W. Moore Vineyard—Salve it!)

Biale would debate that old vine Zinfandel harbors the best expression of California terroir possible. Thin-skinned like Pinot Noir, Zin is a lens that magnifies the distinctive, identifiable characteristics of each site. A tasting trip through a few of these legacy bottles is a fascinating treatise on California regions themselves.

Benovia Winery 2017 Zinfandel Sonoma County

This intense just bright Benovia Zin comes from their Cohn estate vineyard, planted in 1970 on a steep, rocky slope and dry-farmed. It offers concentrated aromas that evolve from spicy, dark berries with hints of night chocolate and pepper into beautiful floral notes. Delicious fruit flavors hit all the drupe notes—black raspberry, mulberry—and, along with dark cherry, bring together warm spices through a end brightened with orange zest.

Purchase At present: $50

 Carlisle 2018 Piner-Olivet Ranches Zinfandel Russian River Valley, Sonoma Canton

Kaare Iverson

This is a iii-vineyard alloy from Zinfandel master Mike Officer, owner and winemaker at Carlisle, planted in 1922, 1927 and 1934. As to how much of the fruit in this wine is actually the "mixed blacks" grapes often interplanted with Zin in those days? Officer tin't exactly say—"I'd put it at about 7 percentage," he estimates. Warm baking spices open, along with red berry/blood-red aromas, dark chocolate, forest and florals. A juicy cadre of berry fruit is intense and long, finishing with an orange peel kick.

Buy Now: $forty

Hamel Family Wines 2018 Armor Plate Vineyard Blood-red Sonoma Valley

Sara Sanger

Dubbed merely "Red Wine," this Hamel Family Zin comes from a vineyard dating back to the 1890s, planted in the sometime field-blend tradition (although Zinfandel dominates). George Hamel, Sr., apparently rode a horse named Armor Plate in the United states Army Cavalry at the beginning of WWII. The 2018 from its namesake vineyard leads with lovely florals intermingled with crushed rock, cracked pepper and an edge of savory herbs. Tart red fruit—pomegranate, cranberry and reddish—carries a concentrated palate over a textural tannin backbone.

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Hartford 2018 Dina's Vineyard Former Vine Zinfandel Russian River Valley

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Only about x acres of gnarly, dry-farmed vines remain of this vineyard planted more 100 years ago past Italian immigrants (with the original eight-by-8 spacing to allow horses to plow in both directions through the rows). Lovely high-toned violet and spice aromas wrap effectually a nose of dark berries, white pepper and cocoa. The flavors are concentrated, intense and lush, yet bright at the same time, with juicy black raspberry and cherry layered with exotic spices, a petty reddish licorice and a house backbone of tannins (remember of aging this one, for a Thanksgiving downward the road).

Buy Now: $65

Inglenook 2017 Edizione Pennino Zinfandel Rutherford Napa Valley

Photo: courtesy Chad Keig

When the Coppolas purchased the former Inglenook Estate in 1975, they were advised to pull out the Zinfandel (the oldest diversity planted on the property). But Francis Ford Coppola liked Zin, and then the vineyards remained, with the first Edizione Pennino—named for his maternal grandmother—produced in 1988. The 2017 leads with a floral character, followed by briary berry aromas, espresso and pepper. Intense fruit flavors lean into spicy territory, with hints of red licorice and a stately tannin structure.

Buy At present: $48

Kokomo 2018 Pauline'due south Vineyard Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County

In that location are two rows of Petite Sirah in the block of Zinfandel Kokomo gets from Pauline'due south Vineyard across the street from the winery. They're picked and co-fermented with the Zin (adding up to nearly two percent), lending power and spice. The vino opens with a core of brilliant mulberry and cherry-red, layered with anise, cocoa and violet aromas. Juicy, oral cavity-filling flavors load the palate and build—anchored past berries, from black to red, seasoned with warm spices. This i's a steal.

Buy Now: $thirty

Louis M. Martini 2017 Monte Rosso Vineyard Gnarly Vine Zinfandel Sonoma Valley

Known quite literally for its cherry globe, Monte Rosso Vineyard—dating dorsum to the 1880s—is a coveted source of fruit beyond multiple varieties, including memorable Cabernet. Both the vineyard and the Louis M. Martini brand (the legendary Louis Martini bought Monte Rosso in 1938) are at present owned by E. & J. Gallo, who by all reports continues to farm the heritage site on a vine-by-vine basis. The 2017 Zin shows off the vineyard'south ability to produce lush, ripe reds (read high-ish alcohol) that are as well bright and balanced by juicy acerbity. Classic Monte Rosso spice mingles with an orangish peel kick, lifting costly and full-bodied berry and plum flavors—with a cherry liqueur character and impressive structure—into vibrant territory.

Buy At present: $65

Peachy Canyon 2018 D Cake Zinfandel Adelaida District, Paso Robles

The "D Block" that Peachy Canyon sources for this bright, full-bodied Zin is a single acre at Mustang Springs Ranch planted with 18 clones of the diverseness, picked and fermented together in new French oak barrels. Warm spice and cherry fruit open on the olfactory organ, wrapped in subtle florals and layered with red earth. Vivid raspberry and crimson follow, in a high flavor to low alcohol ratio.

Purchase Now: $85

Ridge 2018 Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County

This field blend of 72 percent Zinfandel, 18 per centum Petite Sirah, viii pct Carignane and 2 pct Mataro (Mourvèdre) includes fruit from blocks of Helm William Litton'southward original vineyard planted in the early on 1900s (the spelling was subsequently inverse to Lytton). The 2018 Ridge is herbal and minerally, perfumed with fresh mint and anise, with lovely tension across the palate carrying juicy raspberry and blackberry flavors, interesting spices, savory notes and earth through a long finish.

Buy Now: $45

Robert Biale Vineyards 2018 R.W. Moore Vineyard Zinfandel Coombsville, Napa Valley

Planted in 1905, the R.W. Moore Vineyard—the oldest in Coombsville and the AVA's only Zinfandel—was resuscitated in 1984 on the advice of Robert Mondavi, who knew the performative value of those erstwhile Zin vines in the cool region (and many of the original vines withal exist in the vineyard). The 2018 Robert Biale offers a classic nose, with exotic spice laced through beautiful night fruit, floral notes, pepper and freshly crushed herbs. The silky palate is richly textured, with berry and plum flavors edged with a savory side and juicy acidity.

Buy Now: $48

Rock Wall Wine Company 2018 Kent'southward Legacy Heritage Blend Sonoma County

Photo: courtesy Michael Rosati

This Legacy Blend from Rock Wall winemaker Shauna Rosenblum is a tribute to her belatedly begetter, Kent Rosenblum, founder of his eponymous brand that became one of the "Three R's" of the Zinfandel world (the others being Ridge and Ravenswood). The younger Rosenblum chooses the best barrels from 3 of Sonoma's legacy vineyards—St. Peter's Church, Monte Rosso and Maggie'due south—all dating back to the 1880s and planted with a field alloy that fifty-fifty includes whites like Sémillon, Muscadelle and Palomino. They show in this 2018 in its gorgeous aromas—lavender and rose petals swirling with red berry, plum, pepper and mocha—leading to fruit galore on the palate. Raspberry, strawberry and stone fruit unfold in complex layers, with impressive tannins lingering on the finish.

Buy Now: $100

Rombauer Vineyards 2018 Twin Rivers Vineyard Zinfandel El Dorado

Photograph: courtesy Rombauer

This historic Sierra Foothills Vineyard lies not far from where aureate was first discovered in El Dorado County. Leaning toward the lush and ripe end of the spectrum, the 2018 Rombauer Zin opens with lovely floral perfume, swirling around blueberries and spice, vanilla and cocoa butter. Sweetness fruit pops on the palate, with intense black and blueberry flavors edged with intriguing apricot.

Buy Now: $40

Seghesio Family Vineyards 2017 Montafi Old Vine Zinfandel Russian River Valley

Photo: courtesy Seghesio Family unit Vineyards

Zinfandel mastermind Seghesio, with 125 years in the business organisation, purchased the Montafi Vineyard—planted in 1926—in 2012. The 2017 from those old vines, which includes ten percent Alicante Bouschet, is juicy, concentrated and complex. Dusty blueish and blackberries are joined past plums in a fruit compote mixture spiced with hints of licorice and croaky pepper. Supple textures coat the palate, backed by a business firm tannin construction.

Purchase Now: $65

Turley 2018 Hayne Vineyard Zinfandel Napa Valley

Photo: courtesy Turley

More than than 25 years ago now, Larry Turley launched a chase for high scores with much praise from Robert Parker for his Zinfandels. Now, Turley Wine Cellars makes 47 wines from more than 50 vineyards, most of them Zins and Petite Sirahs from historic erstwhile vines. Zinfandel in the Hayne Vineyard, on the west side of St. Helena (which Turley has worked with for more than a quarter of a century), was planted in 1902 and 1903. The 2018 is polished and expressive, leading with elegant florals, espresso and ruddy berries. A house structure backs cherry-red cherry fruit, in perfect balance with acidity.

Buy Now: $xc

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Source: https://robbreport.com/food-drink/wine/thanksgiving-wine-pairing-california-zinfandel-buyers-guide-1234576552/

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