Joe Martin established St. Francis Vineyard in 1971, planting 22 acres of Chardonnay and the first 60 acres of Merlot in Sonoma Valley. After achieving great success as a grower, Joe opened his own St. Francis Winery in 1979 with his business partner Lloyd Canton. Katie Madigan is the winemaker who oversees the Zinfandel program.
Purple in color. 15.2% ABV. Terrific nose of brambly red and black fruits, vanilla, earth and pepper. Medium body with excellent acidity. Lush, jammy and well balanced. Leans towards modern in style. Black raspberry, black cherry, plums and pepper on the palate. Medium length on the finish. Well made, easy to drink and a decent value at $20. Best over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 91 points.
This was my first time trying a St. Francis Zinfandel and the wine did not disappoint. The wine is widely available and should be a go to in the $20 Zinfandel category.