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 2016 Dane Cellars Zinfandel Gopher Run Vineyard.
I chose this wine as my Zinfandel of the Month having recently been introduced to Dane Cellars and curious about how the wines showed with just a little bit of bottle age.
Dane Cellars was founded by Bart Hansen in 2007. Bart had previously worked at Kenwood as a Cellarmaster and Benziger as part of the winemaking team. Dane Cellars is named for Bart’s son. Dane Cellars makes a variety of wines including several single vineyard Zins, a Chenin Blanc and a Cabernet Sauvignon.
Gopher Run Vineyard is located on the southwest side of Sonoma Valley. Planted near a creek this vineyard resembles a rock garden.
Purple in color. 15.2% ABV. Super nose of red fruits, peach and pepper. Medium body with perfect acidity. Packed with lush, sweet fruits. Exceptionally well balanced. Cherry, raspberry liqueur, wild strawberrry and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Awesome Zinfandel that is aging beautifully. Best over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 93 points.
Review based on a sample provided by the winery.
The best way to obtain the wines is via the wine club or winery mailing list. The 2017 version of this wine is currently available for $38.