Our last Zinfandel pick of the year, coming in on October 20th, the 123-year-old vines at Pagani really outdid themselves in this vintage.  Although we also picked our section of Alicante Bouschet on the same day, we fermented the two lots separately, deciding to do blending trials after malolactic fermentation the following spring.  A little Alicante Bouschet can go a long way!  Sure enough, through our trials, our preference was a blend of only 2% Alicante.  At higher amounts, we felt the wine lost its “zinny-ness”, something we really wanted to retain.  Nineteen days on the skins.  Twenty-three percent new French oak.  Unfined and unfiltered.