2009 Russian River Valley "Papera Ranch" Zinfandel
100% Zinfandel
Mother Nature blessed Papera Ranch with both quality and quantity in 2009, providing us with a wine that rivals our much-lauded 2007. But what Mother Nature giveth, she also taketh away. The entire crop was in lost in 2010 on August 24th due to heat. If you are a fan of what we have done with this vineyard the last few years, I encourage you to take advantage of the quantity available. Picked October 10th. Fermented indigenously. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note:
Dark ruby-garnet. Verging on opaque. Black raspberry, fresh cream, licorice, and herbs provide a fabulous sniff. On the palate, incredibly concentrated with great weight and mouth-feel. Seemingly darker and deeper than previous vintages. Totally dry but at the same time Chambord-like with laser-like acidity to keep the mouth refreshed. Papera Ranch is truly one of the great old-vine vineyards of California. Enjoy this magnificent Zinfandel from release through 2017. (MRO – 09/25/11)