2023 Planchon Zinfandel

Fresh strawberry, cherry cola and hibiscus flower on the nose. Medium light body with supple texture, and flavors of plum, candied orange rind and baking spice. SR (2/26)

This vineyard was planted in 1902 by Joseph Planchon and farmed for more than 100 years by the same family. Grown in alluvial sand in Oakley, these head-pruned, dry-farmed vines are planted on St. George rootstock. The few missing old vines were replaced by barbera and merlot cuttings they had at hand. Approachable on release, this intriguing wine will evolve over the next five years. SR (11/24)

The 6.65-acre vineyard on Empire Avenue is what remains from the original 40-acre homestead planted by Joseph Planchon in 1902. According to the family oral history, he paid a $10 gold coin for the land “bought from the railroad.”

The vineyard is planted in alluvial sands. It is primarily Zinfandel with some interplanted Merlot and Barbera. The vines thrive in the hot summer days and cooler nights with the Delta breeze. One of the most inland vineyards in Oakley, it tends to be a warmer site than the vineyards situated closer to the Delta.

Rainfall: 64 inches (above normal)
Bloom: End of June
Weather: Late and prolonged harvest due to consistently cool weather throughout the growing season.

Harvest Date: 21 September
Grapes: Average Brix 24.2˚
TA: 4.80 g/L
pH: 3.59
Fermentation: 100% crushed and fermented in stainless steel tank with two pumpovers daily, natural primary and secondary.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (10% new, 35% one year old, and 55% five-plus years old).
Aging: Fourteen months in barrel

Sustainably farmed, hand-harvested, grapes; whole-cluster pressed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by a full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 61 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.