2015 Sonoma Valley "Bedrock Vineyard" Zinfandel
89% Zinfandel
7% Mourvèdre
4% Mixed Blacks (Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Carignan, and others)
Our first block of Bedrock Zinfandel was picked on August 24th with the second block coming in four days later on August 28th. Early? Yes, but not as crazy early as some of our other vineyards in this warm, compressed growing season. Bedrock Vineyard produces an uncommonly structured and long-lived Zinfandel. To build in more texture and mouthfeel, we used a yeast known for producing high levels of polysaccharides. We also did delestage (removing the fermenting juice and then pumping it back to tank over the skins) to further enrich the wine and soften the tannins. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note:
Medium garnet-ruby, a fascinating nose of underbrush, red fruits, and a hint of black-olive tapenade. Surprisingly savory and “old world” for a Zinfandel. If they grew Zinfandel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, I imagine it would smell something like this. On the palate, medium-full bodied with striking minerality. The wine finishes gently tannic with flavors of cherries and freshly tilled earth. Quite age-worthy (an opened bottle for this tasting note continued to improve over six days, showing no signs of oxidation), we suggest putting this wine away for three years and then enjoying the show for the next ten. (MRO – 07/18/17)