In 1980, The Brown Family acquired land in the hills east of Rutherford in the Napa Valley. In 1995 they decided to make wine under their own label. The following year the first vintage of Zinfandel was produced and subsequently they have added Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Petite Sirah to their lineup. First and foremost, Brown Estate is known for their exceptional array of Zinfandels.
Brown Zinfandel is near and dear to me. I’ve had all the Estate Zinfandels from the 1997 vintage forward, and my wife and I served the ’99 Zin at our rehearsal dinner at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn in 2000.
Garnet in color. 15.2% ABV. Perfumed nose of lush red fruits, pepper and licorice. Light on it’s feet with nice acidity. Lush and elegant with super sweet fruit. Raspberries, strawberry preserves, cherries and a touch of pepper on the palate. The finish lingers and before you know it you are reaching for another sip. Drink over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 92 points.
It should be noted that the front label of the wine has a #BROWNZIN hastag. The winery was an early adopter of Twitter in their marketing endeavors.
Brown Estate makes Zinfandel that truly has very few peers in California. It should be included in the conversation with the likes of Turley, Carlisle and Bedrock. The wine can be found at retail and at the winery. Seriously consider signing up for the mailing list.
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