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Sangiovese

Italian immigrants from Tuscany probably introduced the

Sangiovese grape to California in the late 1800s, possibly at the

Segheshio Family's "Chianti Station," near Geyserville. It is one of

several varietal components of the field blend in many old North

Coast and Gold Country vineyards that are often otherwise

identified as Zinfandel.

Sanguis Jovis, the Latin origin for the varietal name, literally

means "blood of Jove" and it is likely that Sangiovese (a.k.a.

Sangioveto or San Gioveto) was known by Etruscan winemakers,

although the first literary reference to it was in 1722. It is

probably indigenous to Tuscany, whose most famous wine is

Chianti.

The basic blend of Chianti was established by Baron Ricasoli in

the 1890s. This averages 70% sangiovese as the varietal base

(along with 15% canaiolo [red], and 15% trebbiano [white] and

sometimes a little colorino [red]). Many vineyards are traditionally planted with this varietal mix. It is

difficult even for the Italians to keep up with their own ever-changing and very detailed wine laws,

which specify permitted grape types, maximum yields per acre, minimum alcohol content, minimum

aging standards before sale, etc. Currently, the minimum amount of sangiovese permitted in Chianti is

90%. Other grapes that may be used now include malvasia toscana, a white grape far superior to the

ubiquitous trebbiano. Still, the total white grapes used must not exceed 5% of the blend.

In some ways sangiovese is to Chianti as cabernet sauvignon is to Bordeaux. Both form the base of

wines normally blended with other varietals and both by themselves share a certain distinctive

elegance and complexity, when well-made.

There are at least 14 separate and distinct clones of sangiovese. At one point, there was some

attempt in Italy to identify two separate "families", Grosso and Piccolo, although this seemed to have

more commercial basis ("mine's better than yours") than ampelographic or taste evidence to justify

this attempt to classify.

The fruit is slow to mature and late-ripening. With relatively thin skins, it has a tendency to rot in

dampness and does not mature well if planted above an elevation of 1,500 feet. Sangiovese vineyards

with limestone soil seem to produce wines with more forceful aromas.

The hot, dry climate, such as Tuscany provides, is where sangiovese thrives. Because these climatic

criteria generally enhance quantity, rather than quality, it takes careful cultivation and winemaking

techniques to produce really excellent wine from this grape. The official classification of Chianti itself

demonstrates the widely fluctuating range of Sangiovese quality from those identified as ordinary vino

di tavola to the highest classico superiore. Sangiovese is the #1 varietal in Italy with 247,000 acres,

10% of the entire wine grape crop.

The flavor profile of Sangiovese is fruity, with moderate to high natural acidity and generally a

medium-body ranging from firm and elegant to assertive and robust and a finish that can tend

towards bitterness. The aroma is generally not as assertive and easily identifiable as Cabernet

Sauvignon, for example, but can have a strawberry, blueberry, faintly floral, violet or plummy

character.

Page 1 of 2Sangiovese

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Most Chianti up through the 1980s was imported in straw-covered fiasci and more attention was paid

to low price than any quality factor. Probably because of this association, very few California wine

reference books published before 1990 make mention of Sangiovese as either wine or grape. With no

snob-appeal as a "collector's wine," it generated little interest from growers or consumers until

relatively recently.

Tuscan winemakers, experimenting the past few years with blends of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon

and/or merlot have succeeded creating some excellent Supertuscan blends commanding high prices.

This has led to an increasing number of experimental Sangiovese vineyards being planted and, as of

1991, there were 200 acres in California. (It is interesting, possibly foretelling, to note here that this

is the same total as the entire cabernet sauvignon acreage planted in California in 1961.) The best

results so far have come from Napa, San Luis Obispo and the Sierra Foothills. There are several

California producers making proprietary blends of cabernet sauvignon and sangiovese, following the

Supertuscan example.

It will be interesting to see the progress of California Sangiovese over the next few decades, as the

right vineyard locales and the best fermentation, blending, and aging techniques are discovered.

by Alan Cannon and Jim LaMar

Typical Sangiovese Smell and/or Flavor Descriptors

Varietal Aromas/Flavors: Processing Bouquets/Flavors:

Fruit: strawberry, bluebarry, orange peel, plum .

Floral: violet Oak (light): vanilla, sweet wood

Spice: cinnamon, clove, thyme Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar

Updated January 6, 2003 Except as noted, site design & content © 1999-2005 by Jim LaMar. All rights reserved.

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Medoro

Size:

750 ml

Marche Igt Sangiovese

Our long experience in the vineyard and in the cellar, with the Sangiovese grape

varietal, one of the components of our Rosso Conero, persuaded us to exploit its

potentials and to create a 100% Sangiovese.

PRODUCTION AREA: The vineyards are placed in the province of Ancona, and are

characterised by the traditional rearing method of “guyot”.

GRAPE VARIETAL: Sangiovese 100%.

VINIFICATION: After alcoholic fermentation on the skins for 10 days, the must is

kept in stainless steel containers and undergoes malolactic fermentation. The wine

ages in 50 hl oak barrels for 7 months, and refines in the bottle some months more.

COLOUR: Ruby red with purple reflections.

BOUQUET: Net, fragrant, with hints of blackberries and plums.

TASTE: Soft, sapid, net.

ACCOMPANIMENT: Ideal with grilled meat and young cheeses.

SERVING TEMPERATURE: 18° C/64°F

ALMANACCO DEL BEREBENE 2005 – GAMBERO ROSSO

OSCAR PRICE / QUALITY to Medoro 2002

DUEMILAVINI 2005-AIS

Medoro 2002 gains the 3 Grappoli award

built with Fastportal3 by FASTNET S.p.A.

Page 1 of 1Umani Ronchi

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Zweigelt From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zweigelt is a red wine grape variety developed in 1922, at the Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology at Klosterneuburg,

Austria, by Fritz Zweigelt (who was later to become the director of this institute). It was a crossing (or intra-specific hybrid) of

Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. It is now the most widely-grown red grape variety in Austria, as well as having some presence in

Canada's vineyards.

Zweigelt is said to combine some of the best qualities of its parents: winter hardiness (resistance to frost), late bud-break, and

early ripening. It does have a tendency to over-crop, leading to low quality if not corrected.

Synonyms

Zweigelt is also known as Rotburger (not to be confused with Rotberger), Klosterneuburg 71, Zweigeltrebe, and Blauer Zweigelt.

Zweigelt wine

Because of the popularity of this grape in Austria, Zweigelt wine is very widespread there. It is also making inroads in the

Canadian wine regions of Ontario and British Columbia and there are limited plantings in Hungary.

At its best, it combines the bite and fruity character of the Blaufränkisch grape and the body of St. Laurent. When the crop load is

high, however, the wine can be too dilute. Because of its fruity characteristics, it has been compared to the wines produced from

the Gamay grape, like the red wines of Beaujolais.

If the body of the wine is full, it can be age-worthy and serious, although most Zweigelt is drunk young.

Jancis Robinson, British wine writer and editor of The Oxford Companion to Wine, writes: "The export fortunes of the variety

may, oddly enough, be hampered by its originator's uncompromisingly Germanic surname. If only he had been called Dr Pinot

Noir."

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zweigelt"

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Categories: Grape varieties | Hungarian wines | 1922 introductions

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strong and distinctive crimson color;

marked fruity bouquet of sour cherry; dry wine, very smooth and velvety

Zweigelt through Malcolactic fermentation; the aroma of sour cherry is

supported by ripe and smooth tannin; combined with the integrated

alcohol the wine shows an beautiful harmony and goes perfectly with

dark meat

Salzl Seewinkelhof Zweigelt 2004

BN#162364

Producer Salzl Seewinkelhof

Varietal Zweigelt

Category Red

Region Austria : Burgenland :

Neusiedlersee

Alcohol 13.1%

Not currently available.

Contact Us · We Deliver to Massachusetts · E-mail Us · Links

We're sorry but due to Massachusetts state law we are not permitted to ship alcohol out of state..

The availability of certain listed items in inventory may be subject to change. Please contact us with any

questions regarding current items in stock.

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HOME > WINE 101 > VARIETAL PROFILES > MOURVÈDRE

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Mourvèdre

Mourvèdre as a cultivated wine variety originated in Spain, where it is called monastrell. Over 250,000 acres are planted there and, although many vineyards are intermingled with the bobal variety, only grenache outnumbers total monastrell acreage. It is the principal black grape of the five appellations that cluster on Spain's Southeastern Mediterranean Coast, Almansa, Valencia, Alicante, Jumilla, and Yecla. Prior to the late Nineteenth Century phyloxera devastation, mourvédre was also widely planted in Southern France.

There are contradictions and anomolies in the growth characteristics and properties of mourvédre vines. Mourvédre is a very late variety in both bud break and ripening season. It can recover quite well from Spring frosts, but sometimes fail to survive cold Winter temperatures. It craves heat, but is drought-sensitive.

Phylloxera nearly drove mourvèdre to extinction, because the vines took so poorly to grafting that most vineyardists deemed the results not worth the effort. Replanting did not begin seriously until following World War II, 60 years after the devastation, when sufficient vinestock was developed that had both adapted to grafting and had consistent production history.

Until the late 1960s, however, the main French plantings of mourvédre were in Provence, where it is the dominant grape in Bandol. Total mourvédre vineyards in France increased from 2,200 acres in 1968 to nearly 14,000 by 1988.

Mourvèdre is a slow-ripening variety that develops tight bunches of grapes that need good ventilation to avoid rot. It seems to do best in windy climates like Southern France, and in parts of Spain and Algeria.

On their own, Mourvèdre wines tend to be deep-colored, quite tannic, somewhat alcoholic, and have generally "spicy" aromas and, sometimes, "gamey" flavors in their youth.

In California, mourvédre was historically called mataro and losing ground until the demand for Rhône-type varietals began to surge in the late 1980s. Even today, most of the 560 acres planted are in Contra Costa County.

by Jim LaMar

Typical Mourvèdre Smell and/or Flavor Descriptors

Varietal Aromas/Flavors: Processing Bouquets/Flavors:

Spice: thyme, clove, cinnamon, black pepper

Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar, sweet wood

Faunal: gamey .

Floral: violet .

Fruit: blackberry .

Updated September 11, 2002 Except as noted, site design & content © 1999-2006 by Jim LaMar. All rights reserved.

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Cline Cellars

2004 Ancient VinesMourvèdre Contra Costa County Harvest Date: August 24 – September 8 Alcohol: 14.5% Brix at Harvest: 25.3 Total Acidity: .62 g/100ml Final pH: 3.66 Residual Sugar: .18 % UPC: 098652 600020 Vineyards The 2004 Ancient Vines Mourvèdre draws from some of our oldest, most historic and shyest-bearing Mourvèdre blocks. These special vineyards consistently produce fruit of stunning concentration. The lots that we hand-selected for the 2004 blend showed a ripeness and dimension that is the result of sensitive farming practices, the singular Oakley terrior, and a unique cooling band of air that flows in from the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers. By naturally restricting yields to 2 to 3 tons per acre, our old vines achieve sublime expression of the dark, dusty berry fruit quality that is so characteristic of our Ancient Vines Mourvèdre. Fermentation and Aging Individual lots of grapes were harvested separately according to ripeness and balance of acidity. Grapes underwent total de-stemming and a very gentle crushing to ensure a large proportion of whole berries in the must. Fermentation was carried out in stainless steel with select cultured yeasts nd was maintained at the ideal temperature to aid extraction of flavor and color. Wines were pressed off their skins at dryness before being racked to medium and dark toasted American Oak barrels (approximately 25% new) and barrel aged for about 10 months. Winemaker’s Comments Our Ancient Vines Mourvèdre, grown in the warm, sandy soils of Oakley California, produces a wine that has a distinct chocolate character. The tannins are soft and the wine has good weight in the mouth. Flavors and aromas of cherry and mint help make this delicious wine an unusual delight. Suggested Food Pairings This flavorful and soft wine will pair well with grilled lamb and pasta puttanesca.

HOME > WINE 101 > VARIETAL PROFILES > CABERNET SAUVIGNON

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Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon makes the most dependable candidate for

aging, more often improving into a truly great wine than any other

single varietal. With age, its distinctive black currant aroma can

develop bouquet nuances of cedar, violets, leather, or cigar box and

its typically tannic edge may soften and smooth considerably.

It is the most widely planted and significant among the five

dominant varieties in the Medoc district of France's Bordeaux region,

as well as the most successful red wine produced in California.

Long thought to be an ancient variety, recent genetic studies at U.C.

Davis have determined that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the

hybrid offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc.

Cabernet sauvignon berries are small, spherical with black, thick and

very tough skin. This toughness makes the grapes fairly resistant to

disease and spoilage and able to withstand some autumn rains with little damage. It is a mid to late

season ripener. These growth characteristics, along with its flavor appeal have made Cabernet

Sauvignon one of the most popular red wine varieties worldwide.

The best growing sites for producing quality wines from Cabernet Sauvignon

are in moderately warm, semi-arid regions providing a long growing season,

on well-drained, not-too-fertile soils. Vineyards in Sonoma County's Alexander

Valley, much of the Napa Valley, and around the Paso Robles area of the

Central Coast have consistently produced the highest-rated California

examples.

Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon wines smell like black currants with a degree of

bell pepper or weediness, varying in intensity with climatic conditions,

viticulture practices, and vinification techniques. Climates and vintages that

are either too cool or too warm, rich soils, too little sun exposure, premature

harvesting, and extended maceration are factors that may lead to more

vegetative, less fruity character in the resulting wine.

In the mouth, Cabernet can have liveliness and even a degree of richness, yet usually finishes with

firm astringency. Some of the aroma and flavor descriptors most typically found in Cabernet

Sauvignon are:

Typical Cabernet Sauvignon Smell and/or Flavor Descriptors

Varietal Aromas/Flavors: Processing Bouquets/Flavors:

Fruit: black currant, blackberry, black cherry

Oak (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood

Herbal: bell pepper, asparagus (methoxy-pyrazine), green olive Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar

Spice: ginger, green peppercorn, pimento Bottle Age: cedar, cigar box, musk, mushroom, earth, leather

Page 1 of 2Cabernet Sauvignon

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(see Tasting Notes)

Cabernet Sauvignon began to emerge as America's most popular varietal red wine in the mid-60s. By

the late 1980s, it had replaced "burgundy" as a consumer's generic term for red wine (as had

Chardonnay, replacing "chablis" as the equivalent for generic white wine). This popularity was based

partly on the flavor appeal of the grape and partly on its status or snob-appeal as a "collector's" wine.

Indeed Cabernet Sauvignon is the wine most subject to inflationary climb, as fans, collectors, and the

Nouveau Riche bid the supply ever upward.

by Jim LaMar

Page updated November 13, 2003 Except as noted, site design & content © 1999-2005 by Jim LaMar. All rights reserved.

Page 2 of 2Cabernet Sauvignon

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2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast Bright cherry notes in a lustrous garnet bowl invite the palate to full black cherry, boysenberry and blueberry flavors etched with just enough herbal edge to create complexity in the long, silken finish. Aged in 60 gallon French and American oak barrels which contribute depth and a suggestion of spice and vanilla. Table Suggestions: Enjoy with rosemary chicken, tomato eggplant casserole with garlic and oregano.

Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days.

081633185128 Regular price: $16.99 Sale price: $14.99 Order

Page 1 of 101 Guenoc Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast

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HOME > WINE 101 > VARIETAL PROFILES > PINOT NOIR

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Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is often described as being a "difficult" grape, to grow, to deal with in

the winery, and to find truly great examples of, but fans are passionate about

this veriety, as sensually expressed by the dialogue between Miles and Maya in

the 2004 movie "Sideways."

Pinot Noir is one of the oldest grape varieties to be cultivated for the purpose of

making wine. Ancient Romans knew this grape as Helvenacia Minor and vinified

it as early as the first century AD. Recognized worldwide as a great wine grape,

pinot noir has many alias and is grown in Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria

(called Blauburgunder or Spätburgunder), Brazil, Canada, Czechoslovakia,

England, France, Germany (Spätburgunder), Greece, Hungary, Italy (Pinot

Nero), Mexico, New Zealand, Switzerland (Clevner, labeled "Dole" when

blended with Gamay Noir), the United States, and Yugoslavia (Burgundac).

The reputation that gets pinot noir so much attention, however, is owed to the

wines of Burgundy (Bourgogne), France. For most of wine history, this two-mile-wide, thirty-mile-long stretch of hills, called the Côte d'Or ("Slope of Gold"), is the only region to achieve consistent success from the pinot noir

vine.

The quality of Bourgogne is due to a number of factors. Its vineyards slope gently down toward the East, providing the vines with long sun exposure yet avoiding afternoon heat. The soil there is very calcareous (chalky; containing calcium

carbonate), offering good drainage. Well-drained soils have a higher average temperature, which assists ripening. Pinot

noir seems to reflect more pronounced Gout de Terroir, or flavor of the soil, than other black grape types, making vineyard site selection a critical factor.

Difficulties plague pinot noir at every step, from propagation to even its bottle-aging

characteristics. Genetically unstable, the parent vine may produce offspring that bear

fruit that is nothing like the parent's in the size and shape of the berry or cluster and will

frequently even have different aromas, flavors, and levels of productivity. There are 46

recognized clones (genetic variants) of Pinot Noir in Dijon, France. Ampelographers

estimate there are as many as 200 to possibly 11,000 clones of pinot noir worldwide. By comparison, cabernet sauvignon has only twelve identifiable clones.

Nearly every affliction known to affect vines is common among pinot noir vineyards.

Although quite tolerant of cold climates, it is particularly susceptible to Spring frosts,

because it is one of the earliest-leafing varieties. The sharpshooter leafhopper finds pinot

noir a perfect host. This bug carries Pierce's Disease, which can destroy an entire vineyard in as little as three years. Leaf-roll virus is prevalent in almost all pinot noir plantings over ten years old. The pinot vines are not very vigorous and often lack

adequate leaf cover to protect the fruit from birds, which do much damage. Even if the

grapes survive the birds, if not picked promptly at maturity, the thin-skinned and tender

berries shrivel and dry out rapidly (notice this shriveling in the photo), resulting in a

raisiny aroma and neutral flavor.

Pinot Noir is also one of the more difficult wines to ferment. Partly due to the presence of

18 amino acids, which are naturally balanced in this variety, Pinot Noir ferments

violently, often "boiling" up and out of its container, speeding the process out of control.

Color retention is a major problem for the thin-skinned berries. Pinot is very prone to

acetification and often loses the sometimes promising aromas and flavors it seems to

display through fermentation and aging, as soon as it is bottled.

There is one component in which Pinot Noir seems naturally quite rich, three to four

times higher compared to other varieties, especially when it is grown in cooler and more

humid climates: resveratrol. While this may not affect the aspects of sensory enjoyment,

it may draw the attention of health-conscious consumers.

Pinot Noir shows some promise and has a possible future in the Willamette Valley of

Oregon, the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, and in New Zealand, although all may

prove to have growing seasons that are generally too short and too humid for consistently outstanding results.

The popular image persists that California Pinot Noir is a light, fruity wine of no consequence, but California vintners

over the past twenty years have been improving site and clonal selections, viticultural methods, and vinification

Page 1 of 3Pinot Noir

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techniques to increase their record of success. The nominees for Best Supporting Appellation in California Pinot Noir are much the same

as for Chardonnay: Santa Maria Valley (Santa Barbara County); Russian River Valley (Sonoma County); Carneros (in both Sonoma and

Napa Counties); Anderson Valley (Mendocino County); as well as the Pinnacles (Monterey County) and, recently, Santa Lucia Highlands

(Monterey County).

Great Pinot Noir creates a lasting impression on the palate and in the memory. Its aroma is often one of the most complex of all

varietals and can be intense with a ripe-grape or black cherry aroma, frequently accented by a pronounced spiciness that suggests

cinnamon, sassafras, or mint. Ripe tomato, mushroom, and barnyard are also common descriptors for identifying Pinot Noir. It is full

bodied and rich but not heavy, high in alcohol, yet neither acidic nor tannic, with substantial flavor despite its delicacy. The most

appealing quality of Pinot Noir may be its soft, velvety texture. When right, it is like liquid silk, gently caressing the palate. Pinot does

not have the longevity in the bottle of the darker red wines and tends to reach its peak at five to eight years past the vintage.

Tasting Notes

Although Pinot Noir harmonizes well with a wide variety of foods, the best matches to show off the delicacy and texture of Pinot Noir

are: grilled salmon, a good cut of plain roast beef, or any dish that features mushrooms as the main flavor element. Classic French

cooking has creations based on Pinot Noir, such as Coq au Vin (chicken cooked in red wine) Boeuf Bourginon, and Cassoulet. Other main dishes that match well with Pinot Noir include roasted and braised preparations of lamb, pheasant, and duck, as well as grilled

meaty fish, such as salmon, shark, and swordfish. Best are foods that are simple and rich. Go easy on the spices, some of which may

mask the delicate flavors of pinot noir and generally tend to accentuate the hot taste of alcohol.

by Jim LaMar

Typical Pinot Noir Smell and/or Flavor Descriptors

Varietal Aromas/Flavors: Processing Bouquets/Flavors:

Fruit: cherry, strawberry, raspberry, ripe tomato

Terroir: mushroom, earth, barnyard, truffle, leather, meat

Floral: violet, rose petal Oak (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood

Spice: sassafras, rosemary, cinnamon, caraway, peppermint

Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar

Herbal: rhubarb, beet, oregano, green tomato, green tea, black olive

Bottle Age: cedar, cigar box

NOTES

1Pinot Noir Clonal Research is on-going at Cornell University's Geneva Experimental Station with regard to suitable clones for

planting in New York AVAs. The New Zealand Grape Vine Improvement Group has studied six different Pinot Noir Clones and charted

the resulting characteristics in much detail, including differences in growth and production levels, cluster and berry size, organoleptic

quality and flavor, etc. BACK TO TEXT

PfW RECOMMENDS

the definitive book on

North American Pinot Noir

North American Pinot Noir

John Haeger

Best Price $15.95 or Buy New $24.12

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RELATED LINKS

Richard T. Nagaoka's article "Pinot Noir Challenges California

Winemakers" discusses factors that make Pinot Noir

attractive and elusive.

You may also enjoy Sue Courtney's well-written and

information-filled essay "Suited to the Terroir" describing the

overall state of Pinot Noir fashioned in New Zealand (watch

out, California!).

EVENTS

The Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival happens in late May,

but size limitations of the venue cause tickets to sell-out

early.

The International Pinot Noir Celabration, first held in

McMinnville, Oregon, in 1987, gathers producers and

consumers who love this varietal for a three-day fest in late

July.

The World of Pinot Noir is an annual 3-day event held in

March, at the Cliffs Hotel in Shell Beach, CA, that offers Pinot

Noir lovers a chance to enjoy it with an ocean view.

PfW HIGHLY RECOMMENDS

movie that infected Americans

with Pinot-lust

Sideways

Alexander Payne

Best Price $2.00 or Buy New $13.88

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ONGOING INFO

PfW HIGHLY RECOMMENDS veteran wine writer and passionate Pinotphile Greg Walter's Pinot Report, delivered as a downloadable PDF file, filled with articles and reviews devoted to wines from this grape.

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2005 Hangtime Pinot Noir

WINE DETAILS

The grapes for the 2005 HANGTIME Pinot Noir from Edna Valley were

on the vine for a minimum of 110 days. Cool evenings and slow,

steady ripening produced concentrated flavors in the grapes. Tony

Coltrin, our Winemaker, cold-soaked the pinot noir grapes for 4 days

prior to fermentation to extract both color and character and aged the

wine for 8 months in French Oak. The cool-climate of Edna Valley and

our careful winemaking resulted in a pinot noir that is intense with

flavors of raspberries, red currants, nutmeg and clove. Additionally, the

deep, lingering finish is clear evidence of a long hangtime.

APPELLATION

Located in San Luis Obispo County, California, Edna Valley was

approved as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in May 1982 because

of unique topography and grape-growing characteristics. Edna Valley

is an east-west oriented valley that is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to

the west, the San Luis mountain range to the northwest, the Santa

Lucia mountain range to the northeast, and lowlying hills to the south.

Maritime climate and soils consisting of clay, volcanic rock and marine

deposits all contribute to distinct characteristics in the wine. The

volcanic deposits come from an eroding chain of 14 ancient volcanoes

in the Pacific, an extraordinary attribute of the appellation. Edna

Valley’s proximity to the ocean creates a mild climate, and the growing

season is typically the longest in California producing a long hangtime

and flavorful, mature fruit.

Our pinot noir is a perfect complement, rather than a competitor, to the

fine works of the Chef.

Page 2 of 2Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, Central California ? Hangtime Wines

11/11/2006http://www.hangtimewines.com/pinot-noir-edna-valley-05.html

HOME > WINE 101 > VARIETAL PROFILES > ZINFANDEL / PRIMATIVO

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Zinfandel / Primitivo

Zinfandel was for many years somewhat of a mystery grape, as far as its origins are concerned.

Recent research in Croatia and at the University of California at Davis, using DNA profiling, has

proved Zinfandel is a clone of the Croatian variety Crljenak. While it had been theorized that

Zinfandel's genetic twin, the Italian Primitivo, was the source, this grape also originally mutated

from Crljenak. Further research may indicate the very first plantings migrated from Albania or

Greece.

In April, 2002, the TTB announced they are considering ruling Zinfandel and Primitivo

synonymous for use on wine labels. Producers of California Zinfandel will probably object,

anticipating that Italian producers with a bountiful supply would then be able to undercut the

market with inexpensive Primitivo wine labeled "Zinfandel".

Zinfandel came to the United States in 1820, when New York nurseryman George Gibbs carried

back various cuttings from the Imperial Austrian plant species collection. Over the next two

decades, Zinfandel became a popular table grape in the Northeast U.S. Although there are some

commercial claims that Agoston Harazsthy brought Zinfandel to California, records show that a

Massachusetts nurseryman introduced it here. In either case, Zinfandel is now considered

indigenous to California, where it has thrived since the mid-1850's.

Nearly as versatile as Chardonnay in the number of different styles of wine produced from it, it

has only achieved widespread popularity in America since 1980, as a pink, slightly sweet wine.

In fact, this popularity has so outstripped all other forms, that many fans think that there is

actually a grape called "White Zinfandel" (there isn't)!

Zinfandel as a red wine can be made light and fruity, much like French Beaujolais, or lively, complex and age worthy, like Cabernet or

claret. It can also be made into big, ripe, high alcohol style wines that resemble Port. Zinfandel is also a component of most California

"jug" wines, since it is the most widely planted red wine grape.

This vineyard proliferation can be attributed to zinfandel's hardy nature. Adaptable to a wide range of soils and climates, its vines tend to

be vigorous and productive. Zinfandel also has a frequent tendency to set a second crop.

The clusters are compact and full and the berry stems (peduncles) somewhat short. These factors make Zinfandel somewhat susceptible

to bunch rot and some types of mildew. Water management is particularly critical to raising Zinfandel. Under stress from lack of

moisture, it is prone to raisining. It also ripens more unevenly than most other varieties and it is not uncommon for green and raisined

berries to occur within the same cluster. This tendency to can be aggravated by poorly-timed irrigation. Uneven ripening also means that

machine-picking is impractical and a Zinfandel vineyard may often require a few passes, days apart, to harvest all the fruit with the same

level of maturity.

Because of its vigor, generosity and resistance to vine disease, many zinfandel vineyards exist that are 75 to 100 or more years old.

Zinfandel aficionados believe these "old vines" produce the best wines, because the older vineyards set smaller crops and the grapes

tend to ripen more evenly.

At its best, Zinfandel (red) has a very fruity, raspberry-like aroma

and flavor and a "jammy" quality. The most common aroma and

flavor descriptors used with Zinfandel are: >>>

Zinfandel is one red varietal that is probably best enjoyed in its

youth, within three to five years of the vintage. With more bottle

age than this, the luscious fruit that distinguishes Zinfandel drops

markedly and the wine can show a pronounced "hot" taste of

higher alcohol levels and become more neutrally vinous. It is

sometimes hard even for experienced tasters to pick an older

Zinfandel from among similar-aged Cabernet Sauvignon, for

instance (not that there's anything wrong with that).

When paired with outdoor-grilled steaks or chops or meat that

has been stewed with or stuffed with fruit, Zinfandel becomes a

prime motivation for people to become wine-lovers.

Typical Zinfandel Smell and/or Flavor Descriptors

Varietal Aromas/Flavors: Processing Bouquets/Flavors:

Fruit: raspberry, blackberry, boysenberry, cranberry, black cherry, (jammy can be used with all)

Carbonic Maceration: tutti-frutti, candy, bubblegum

Herbal: briar, licorice, nettle Oak (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood

Spice: cinnamon, black pepper Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar

ZAP has an extensive Zinfandel Aroma Wheel

Bottle Age: musk, mushroom, earth, leather cedar, cigar box

Page 1 of 2Zinfandel / Primitivo / Crljenak

11/11/2006http://www.winepros.org/wine101/grape_profiles/zinfandel.htm

2002 Zinfandel, Old Vines Sonoma County

HARVEST October 2002

AGING Fourteen Months

STORAGE New American Oak

BOTTLING March 2004

ALCOHOL 15.2% by volume

AGING POTENTIAL 5 to 7 years

W hen we say “old vines,” we mean vines at least fifty and often over a hundred years

old. We’ve found a series of small vineyards in Sonoma County that date back to the

turn of the last century. Because of their great age, these plots yield less than two tons

per acre of exceptionally concentrated fruit. Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet vines

planted among the Zinfandel add texture and color to the “field blend.” We hand-pick

late, so that some of the grapes have become raisins, further intensifying the varietal

flavors. Once crushed, the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks for twelve to

eighteen days, then aged in American oak barrels from twelve to fifteen months. The

wine is held another four to eight months after bottling. This distinct “old world style” of

wine displays deep aromas of ripe black cherries and licorice, rich with spice and

toasty oak notes that carry into a long luscious finish.

Rated "92" — Wine & Spirits, October 2005

©2004 ~ St Francis Winery & Vineyards ~ (800) 543-7713 ~ 100 Pythian Road ~ Santa Rosa, CA ~ 95409

Page 1 of 1St. Francis Winery - Wines - Sonoma Valley - California

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