2024 Old School Zinfandel

Opulent aromas of ripe boysenberry and fresh blueberry on the nose with hints of graham cracker pie crust. Medium to full bodied with elegant tannins and a touch of sweetness. Rich garnet in color and beautifully balanced. MB (7/26)

A warm growing season ripened the grapes without issue. To differentiate this style from that of a table wine, we designate wines made from grapes this ripe as “Old School.” Ripe fruit dominates the nose and palate of this rich, almost thick Zinfandel. This opulent wine will continue to evolve. SR (1/26)

The two-room Independence School built in the 1870’s served the ranches south of Geyserville for nearly a century. Several of the small vineyards we harvest in what is now Geyserville Township, are located in the historic school district. The old school, now a residence, stands adjacent to the vineyards. Rarely produced, it will be most ideal for wintertime, fireside drinking following a meal.

Rainfall: 45 inches (above normal)
Bloom: Mid-May
Weather: A cool start to the season. From early June on, the weather was warm to hot, leading to a condensed harvest.

Harvest Date: 8 October
Grapes: Average Brix 27.5˚
TA: 6.68 g/L
pH: 3.70
Fermentation: Grapes de-stemmed and fully crushed; floating cap; natural primary and secondary; natural yeast fermentation.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (25% new and 75% five-plus years old).
Aging: Fourteen months in barrel

Hand-harvested grapes; destemmed and crushed. Fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria. Minimum effective sulfur (35 ppm at crush, 230 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.

Average Rating: 95

No. of Tasting Notes: 1

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