Winemaker's Notes
For those who are new to us, this is a quintessential expression of ‘old world style’ Zinfandel: Evocative sandalwood, roasted red beets, warm, hints of freshly picked plums and red delicious apples as though in a basket nearby, dark bramble fruits, mysterious hints of new-jacket leather all take their turn at center view like the mechanical horses, unicorns and other creatures on a rotating carousel. The red and black cherry aromas that showed so prominently last summer have evolved and merged with a violet perfume that comes and goes during this circular performance. The longer in the glass and contact with air, the more floral perfumes and roasted sweet beet facets dominate.
Last July said it seemed the 2019 Old & Mature Vines Zin was similar to the 2018, yet with more structure. This has actually become slightly more pronounced during barrel aging. Good, firm structure portends a long life in bottle. And while this is not harsh, it is muscular like a runner. In this case, it’s a marathon runner that will always thrill at the finish.
