2018 Guadagni Zinfandel

Jammy nose of blackberry and cassis with notes of pepper, mint and tobacco. Full-bodied on the palate with well coated tannins, black cherry fruit and a long, layered finish. JO (7/20)

Late spring rain delayed bud break in Dry Creek Valley. After moderate summer temperatures, warmer weather returned in August, bringing the grapes to full ripeness. A twenty percent addition of petite sirah from an adjacent block contributes color and structure. Robust and redolent of black fruit, this exemplary zinfandel can be enjoyed over the next seven to eight years.

Owned and farmed by the Guadagni family for over fifty years, this vineyard grows in the rocky soils at the northern edge of the Dry Creek Valley. Planted primarily to zinfandel; petite sirah from an adjacent parcel was added this year for color and depth. We limited pump-overs to once daily and pressed after eight days of fermentation as color and tannin were plentiful.

Rainfall: 25 inches (below normal)
Bloom: May
Weather: Winter rains were light this year, totalling 25 inches. Rains in April and May helped the vines get through the summer.

Harvest Dates: 11 & 18 September
Grapes: Average Brix 25.8˚
TA: 6.12 g/L
pH: 3.63
Fermentation: Grapes de-stemmed and crushed, pumped over a floating cap twice daily, pressed at ten days.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (15% new, 20% one year-old, 20% two years-old, 20% three years-old and 25% four years-old).
Aging: Twelve months in barrel

Sustainably farmed, hand-harvested, grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by a full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; 1.4% water addition; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 173 ppm during aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

Connoisseurs’ Guide: 91 Points “Nicely fruited in a ripe, somewhat spicy vein, this full-bodied, moderately astringent effort makes full use of its tannins to firm up its slightly fleshy texture. On the big side, but never near being oversized, this deeply draughted wine is just the sort of Zinfandel that deserves to be partnered with a rack of St. Louis ribs hot off the Weber or even with a quick-seared hunk of venison. Laying it away for a half-decade will also work well in your favor.” (January 2021 Issue)

Average Rating: 90.4

No. of Tasting Notes: 32

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