Welcome to the latest installment of The Week in Zinfandel. If I missed your post or story please send me a link and I will be sure to include it next week. Cheers!
2021 Turley Zinfandel Old Vines – Bottle Notes
Turley Wine Cellars was founded in 1993 by Larry Turley and specializes in small lots of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah from some of California’s most historic and treasured vineyards. Turley now makes right around 50 separate wines from 47 different vineyards, some with vines that date back to the late 1800’s. Tegan Passalacqua is the Director of Winemaking at Turley and…
2001 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate – Bottle Notes
Chateau Montelena dates back to 1882 when Albert Tubbs bought 254 acres of property just north of Calistoga. Tubbs planted vines and by 1896 Montelena was the 7th largest winery in California. Winemaking came to an end with the onset of Prohibition. The current iteration of Montelena can be traced to 1968, when Jim Barrett was brought on as a…
2016 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Koplen Vineyard – Bottle Notes
The 2016 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Koplen Vineyard was the winning bottle in the March installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was paired with steak and roasted broccoli. Kosta Browne was founded in the late nineties by Dan Kosta and Michael Browne and has always focused on Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. The winery has…
2022 Navarro Zinfandel Old Vine Cuvée – Bottle Notes
Located in the Anderson Valley, Navarro Vineyards has been producing exceptional, fairly-priced wines since 1974. The winery is best known for its range of Pinot Noirs, including the showstopper Deep End Blend (available through futures). They also produce an age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon a delicious Zinfandel and their whites are noteworthy and food friendly with an exceptional Riesling, Gewurztaminer and Gruner Vetliner…
The Week in Zinfandel (3/24/25)
Welcome to the latest installment of The Week in Zinfandel. If I missed your post or story please send me a link and I will be sure to include it next week. Cheers!
2021 Robert Biale Zinfandel Black Chicken – Bottle Notes
Robert Biale Vineyards in Napa has its roots in the 1930s, when the Biale family started growing Zinfandel grapes and other produce on the outskirts of Napa. The family grapes mostly were sold to local wineries, though the Biales saved some to make wine for the family. The winery was formally founded in 1991. The estate grows Zinfandel and Petite…
2019 Marcel Lapierre Morgon – Bottle Notes
Marcel Lapierre took over the family domaine from his father in 1973. The winery dates back to the early 1900’s. In 1981 Marcel met Jules Chauvet. A winemaker, researcher and chemist, Chavet preached for natural wines and the traditional methods of Beaujolais. Joined by local vignerons Guy Breton, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Jean Foillard, Marcel led a group that soon went to the…
Pick My Next Bottle – 2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
The March Installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on 2016 Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. The purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. The winning bottle will be opened on Sunday and a Bottle Note will be published early next week. The 2016 vintage…
2016 Domaine Saint-Damien Gigondas Les Souteyrades – Bottle Notes
Domaine Saint-Damien is run by Joel and Amie Saurel. The Saurel family had been tending vineyards for four generations, dating back to 1821, and until recently selling all of the grapes to negociants. In 1996 Joel resumed producing wine at the estate and in 1998 they brought on consulting winemaker Philippe Cambie. Vinification is classic with wines being made in large old cement…