Bottle Notes, Zinfandel

Zinfandel of the Month – 2014 Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel Amador County

Zinfandel of the Month is a regular feature on Zinfandel Chronicles. Keep in mind that although the Zinfandel of the Month might be an older bottle, the current vintage will be one you can find at retail or via the mailing list.

The March Zinfandel of the Month is the 2014 Renwood Old Vine Amador County.

Renwood Winery was established in 1993 and is one of the most respected wine producers in the Sierra Foothills, specializing in Zinfandel. Renwood is now under new ownership but the mission is still the same – world class Zinfandel made from some of the finest vineyards in the Sierra Foothills. Joe Shebl is the current Director of Winemaking and the consulting winemakers include Jeff Cohn and Kent Rosenblum. Renwood now makes upwards of a dozen different Zinfandels.

In the early to mid nineties I lived in Sacramento and my passion for Zinfandel was based on trips to wineries like Renwood, Ravenswood and Rafanelli. At the time Scott Harvey was the winemaker and the Zinfandels from the likes of Grandmere and Grandpere Vineyards were some of my very favorites.

Bright crimson in color. 14.5% ABV.  From vines ranging 50-100 years in age. Awesome nose of black and red fruits, cocoa powder and black pepper. Medium to full body with juicy acidity. Bright and delicious with all sorts of upfront fruit. Black cherry liqueur, blackberries and raspberry compote on the palate. Medium length on the finish. The wine lacks a bit of depth but is easy to drink and attractively priced. Best over the next several years.

My rating: 90 points.

The 2015 version of this wine was recently released and is widely available at just under $20 per bottle.

If you enjoyed this post please consider subscribing to Zinfandel Chronicles updates by email.

Tagged , ,

Leave a Comment