2024 Ponzo Zinfandel

Medium to light body, with aromas of raspberry, rose petal, and hints of kiwi. Ample acidity with notes of cherry and pomegranate on the palate. Soft and supple tannin structure and an elegant finish. MB (6/26)

Two wet winters in a row replenished groundwater. Favorable spring weather helped set a full crop at the Ponzo vineyard. The moderate climate of the Russian River Valley typically delays harvest into October, but by mid-September, the grapes were fully ripe. The Old Vine block was selected for its structure while Triangle and Back blocks add intense fruit and aromatics. This sumptuous Zinfandel will be best over the next six years. SR (11/25)

Bob Ponzo has farmed these vines in the Russian River Valley for over 40 years. The vineyard, planted on deep gravelly loam soils, is four and a half miles south of Lytton Springs. Here, the Russian River Valley’s cooler microclimate ripens the grapes later than at Lytton Springs and Geyserville. Small amounts of petite sirah are interplanted with zinfandel in the oldest block.

Rainfall: 45 inches (above average)
Bloom: Early 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: 16 September
Grapes: Average Brix 24.9˚
TA: 7.45 g/L
pH: 3.51
Fermentation: Grapes destemmed and crushed, pumped over a floating cap.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (11% new, 9% one year old,10% two years old, and 70% five-plus years old).
Aging: Fourteen months in barrel

Hand-harvested, Bob Ponzo vineyard grapes; destemmed and crushed; fermented on the native yeasts, followed by full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; oak from barrel aging; minimum effective sulfur for this wine (35 ppm at crush, 177 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.

Wine Enthusiast: 91 Points “Bombastic aromas of roasted cherry, concentrated raspberry, licorice, and mint drive the nose of this wine. The palate gives plush tannin and nervy acidity framing flavors of mixed berry coulis, iron-rich clay, stemmy herbs, and violets that come into focus at the finish. Some time in the cellar will soften this nicely.” -Tom Capo (October 2026)

See all food pairing recipes we have created specifically for this wine.