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 August Zinfandel of the Month is the 2018 Outpost Zinfandel Howell Mountain.
I chose this wine as my Zinfandel of the Month because it was released in just the last few weeks and is the first Outpost Zinfandel in several years as the 2020 was not released due to the devastating fires that marked the vintage.
Outpost Wines was established in 1998 and sits on a pristine piece of land atop Howell Mountain 2200 feet above Napa Valley. Thomas Rivers-Brown has been the winemaker from the start and has gained further acclaim making highly sought after wines for Schrader, Rivers-Marie and many others. Outpost produces Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Right Bank inspired blend called Immigrant. In 2018 AXA Millésimes, the wine division of a French insurance giant, bought Outpost from the Dotzler family.
Purple in color. 16.1% ABV. Heady nose of red and blue fruits, anise and pepper. Full bodied with remarkable acidity. Raspberry liqueur, blueberry and white pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Big, full throttle, hedonistic Zinfandel that is absolutely stunning. Best over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 95 points.
Outpost wines are only available via the mailing list and sell out quickly. Don’t miss the Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from True Vineyard. Highly recommended.