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.
Rosemary’s Block is a 5 acre portion of the Brown Estate Vineyard.
Crimson in color. 15.5% ABV. Fantastic nose of juicy black fruits, licorice and pepper. Full bodied with ample acidity. Well balanced. Chock full of brambly fruits. Black cherry, blackberry liqueur, raspberry truffle and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Super Zinfandel that is aging beautifully. Best over the next several years.
My rating: 93 points.
Look for the 2017 version of the Brown Estate Zinfandel Rosemary’s Block at retail and the winery. Pricing is around $55 per bottle.