Vintus

Estate Zinfandel, Napa Valley

• 2010 Vintage

   The 2010 growing season was persistently cool – summer never really showed up – all the way until the third week of August when a scorcher of a heat wave moved through, causing a ton of sunburn throughout the North Coast where many growers had dramatically opened up their canopies in an effort to get some sun on the fruit and avoid mildew. Fortunately, because of how we farm Zinfandel and know its propensity to shrivel (it is a thin-skinned grape), we had not opened up the canopy and those big basal leaves were still there to provide protective shade. As a result, the fruit suffered no ill consequences. The cool season also provided for a lot of time on the vine and the great flavor development that comes with it.

  This Zinfandel shows a bright, garnet red color with medium density. The nose is loaded with rich layers of spice, coconut, and brown sugar along with big fruit notes of plum, boysenberry, and hints of dried fruit as well. Beneath all that there is a rich but subtle earthliness reminiscent of hoisin. The palate opens smoothly with soft round tannins rolling across the tongue and a firm acid core, both working in harmony to establish the balance and structure of this wine. Ripe blackberry and bright strawberry flavors fill the mid-palate, all beautifully complimented by the nutty underlayer, and rounded out by the smoked meat notes on the finish.

   

• 2009 Vintage

  The year 2009 was defined by the long and very moderate growing season that was absent of any major heat events and also by the warm late harvest.  There was excellent flavor development and maturity in all of the Estate Vineyard fruit with lower-than-average sugar levels - perfect for the balanced and restrained classic Montelena style.  The spring rains and moderate conditions all season combined with the lack of major heat events resulted in a record-size harvest - a nice change from the meager 2008 crop.

   

  Beautiful and dark garnet in color, this Zinfandel opens with aromas of bright raspberry and floral top notes, followed by cedar, dried berries, dried plums, and the classic Zinfandel briar-berry along with hints of pipe tobacco and dusty cocoa. The palate opens softly with exceptional balance and builds nicely into a good full finish. Dried fruit notes are perfectly complimented by fresh, red currant and mature black fruit flavors. Very juicy on the palate, it is ripe and sweet, with good length and just a hint of herbs on the finish. It shows good weight and velvety tannins throughout - very fleshy without being overbearing - and should pair nicely with a wide variety of dishes.

  • "Good medium bright red. Plum, flowers, herbs and pone oil on the high-toned nose. Dense, pungent and edgy, with red fruit and caraway seed flavors joined by pepper and flowers as the wine opened in the glass. This rich, smooth but lightly herbal zinfandel finishes with a slight bitter edge that should really bite into food. A step up in complexity from the estate's recent vintages of zinfandel."  89 Points International Wine Cellar

• 2008 Vintage

  Despite the challenging spring conditions and the hot August weather, the 2008 harvest was normal. In fact, our Primitivo clone did exceptionally well – it came in over projections and with appealing juice chemistries. Thanks in part to a few changes in our cellar fermentation practices; we achieved even better extraction, color intensity, and oak integration than in prior vintages.

  Bright ruby-red in the glass with good clarity and intensity of color, this 2008 Zinfandel draws you in, delivering rich aromas of bright red berry, slightly earthy briar berry, alluring spice and rhubarb pie, all complemented by soft, well-integrated oak tone. The palate opens clean and soft, building smoothly with very nice tannin integration – soft in texture but firm in overall presence. Dried currants and ripe blackberries are accompanied by notes of fresh vanilla bean while the finish echoes the rhubarb pie from the nose.

  • "Good medium red.  Aromas of blueberry, violet and licorice lifted by spearmint high tones.  Distinctly dry for this bottling, with intense but somewhat light flavors of dark berries, licorice, menthol and bitter chocolate.  A hint of exotic orange peel emerges on the back end, which features a fine dusting of tannins and comes off as a bit dry but not hard.  A 60/40 blend of primitivo and zinfandel. The spring frost caused "cold damage" leading to smaller crop levels, noted assistant winemaker Matt Crafton." 87 Points International Wine Cellar

  • "The 2008 Zinfandel Estate displays more pepper, herb and a Provencal-like garrigue character." 86 Points Wine Advocate

• 2007 Vintage

  The growing season in Calistoga was very even and unremarkable – not too hot, not too cold – which is great for thin-skinned Zinfandel. 2007 saw more even ripening of the grape clusters and the absence of the typical dry heat helped keep sugars (and thus the alcohols) down. 

   

  This Zinfandel has a very pleasing, bright, clean ruby color. The nose is loaded with interest, from tobacco and cedar-spice box to classic Zinfandel briar-berry and bright strawberry on top. With a soft entry, the palate builds to a big, jammy mid-palate rich with barrel spice, clean tart blackberry, and velvety tannins throughout. Sweet vanilla notes lead into a smooth, ripe berry finish with hints of passion fruit.

  • "Exhibits a slightly darker ruby/purple color as well as a big, seductive nose of black cherries, briery mountain fruit, earth, pepper, herbs, and new saddle leather. Already delicious, this medium to full-bodied Zin should drink well for 3-5 years." 88-90 Points Wine Advocate

• 2006 Vintage

  Dark ruby in the glass, this is a very attractive and appealing wine. On the nose you’ll find heaps of dark fruit, blackberry, dried blackcurrant, and strawberry undertones, complemented by rich toasted oak notes and hints of tobacco and rose. The palate opens with a clean supple entry, building to sweet briar-berry, cranberry and dried cherry with a mellow fleshy mouthfeel and suede-like tannins. Excellent structure and balanced acidity throughout carry into the warm, round, spicy finish with prolonged flavors of rich dried fruits and pie spice, inviting you back for more.

• 2005 Vintage

  The wine shows a very good deep red color. It has many of the typical Zinfandel notes on the nose: spicy berry, subtle briar, and some dried fruit component. On the palate it opens with a nice big bowl of the same briar and berry flavors, and a spicy Zinfandel character. The overall body does reflect a cooler vintage, and the very slightly higher acidity gives freshness to the bright fruit and elegant texture. It is very much a claret style, food friendly wine, so unlike many huge high alcohol Zins thundering around nowadays, this will accompany an astonishing array of cuisine. On release it will clearly taste like a young wine, but over time its classic lines, nice berry fruit, and medium weight will make this a tasty dinner wine, and an easy sipper.

  • "Good deep red. Blacker aromas of cassis, licorice and mint, with a suggestion of dried fruits. Juicy, leanish and tight, with briary berry flavors complicated by licorice and tar. Here the tannins are a bit rougher but this couldn't be anything but zinfandel." 89 Points International Wine Cellar