2018 Hooker Creek Zinfandel

Boysenberry and black cherry with notes of fresh tarragon. Medium body on the palate with bramble and white pepper. Elegant finish with balanced acidity and fine-grained tannins. MB (7/21)

This old vine vineyard is located in a warm zone of Sonoma Valley, making it ideal for zinfandel. In 2018, after a cool, mild August, warm weather returned in early September, bringing the grapes to full ripeness. Robust in style, the small percentages of interplanted petite sirah and alicante contribute color and elegant tannins. It will be at its best over the next six years.

This wine comes from old zinfandel vines planted along Hooker Creek, north of the town of Glen Ellen in Sonoma Valley. These old vines were planted one hundred and twenty seven years ago on a part of the Agua Caliente Spanish Land grant purchased from General Vallejo by Joseph Hooker and William Sherman in 1854. Despite an ethically questionable lifestyle, “Fighting Joe” Hooker went on to command the Army of the Potomac in 1863 as a major general. After losing the battle of Chancellorsville to a significantly smaller Confederate force under Robert E. Lee, he was relieved of command. This is our sixth harvest from this vineyard.

Rainfall: 12 inches (below average)
Bloom: Late May
Weather: Winter rains were light this year, totaling less than 12 inches. A warm summer followed, ripening the grapes for a September harvest. The yield was average, with good ripeness.

Harvest Dates: 12 September
Grapes: Average Brix 24.6
TA: 6.09 g/L
pH: 3.92
Fermentation: Grapes destemmed 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-year-old, 25% three-year-old, 20% four-year-old).
Aging: Fourteen months in barrel

Hand-harvested grapes fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring malolactic bacteria; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 79 ppm over the course of aging); pad filtered at bottling. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

Zinfandel Chronicles: 94 Points “From 127 year old vines planted near Hooker Creek north of Glen Ellen. Crimson in color. 14.8% ABV. 94% Zinfandel, 4% Petite Sirah and 2% Alicante Bouschet. Stunning nose of red and black fruits, licorice and pepper. Medium body with mouth watering acidity. Powerful and concentrated with tremendous purity of fruit. Black cherry, raspberry compote, cocoa and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Outstanding Zinfandel from an iconic site. Best over the next 4-6 years.” -Tom Lee (September 2021)

OwenBargreen.com: 94 Points “The 2018 ‘Hooker Creek’ blends in a touch of Petite Sirah (4%) and Alicante Bouchet (2%). The palate is exceedingly silky with light tannins that frame a generous core of red and dark fruits with tobacco and bay leaf and orange rind undertones with red floral accents. This is exceedingly good even to consume at the three year mark.” -Owen Bargreen (August 2021)

Average Rating: 92.2

No. of Tasting Notes: 18

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