2014 Russian River Valley "Montafi Ranch" Zinfandel
89% Zinfandel
11% Mixed Black Varieties (Alicante Bouschet, Aubun, Grand Noir, Petite Sirah, Peloursin, Trousseau noir, Syrah, Petit Bouschet, Cinsault)
Not surprisingly, the 88-year-old vines at Montafi Ranch knocked it out of the park in 2014. With slightly smaller clusters and berries than in 2013, yields were approximately 2.2 tons to the acre, just below the previous year’s record of 2.5 tons to the acre. Since yields were generous, we picked over the course of several days and divided the fruit between multiple tanks to give us a broader range of flavors and aromas for creating the best blend possible. All French oak but only 20% new. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note:
Very dark ruby-purple. Knockout, exotic aromas of black raspberry, eucalyptus, blood orange, and sandalwood. Wow! I could sniff this all night! Incredibly well-balanced with flavors of blackberry and black raspberry. Not particularly tannic (Zins rarely are), healthy acidity provides a solid framework for this wine to age and develop. Enjoy this benchmark Zinfandel from 2017 through 2023. (MRO – 01/19/16)