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.
Sourced from a number of family owned Sonoma County vineyards with vines that are 60-110 years of age.
Crimson in color. 14.7% ABV. Sublime nose of ripe red fruits, licorice and baking spices. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Big, lush and fruit forward. Cherry, raspberry liqueur, kirsch and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Modern in style, immensely approachable and undoubtedly a crowd pleaser. A bargain at around $20. Best over the next 3-5 years.
My rating: 91 points.
The wine is widely available and should be a go to in the sub $25 Zinfandel category.