2017 Zinfandel

The Vintage
2017 will be remembered as the year of the fires in Sonoma County, it will also be remembered as a near perfect vintage for most winegrowers. Spring rains meant that the vines had plenty of reserves to work with during bud break and the flowering seasons. The summer months were warm and mild creating ideal growing conditions. Things warmed up in September hastening the harvest season. All in all, yields were average to slightly below average with quality across all varieties at near perfection. At Trione we were done harvesting by October 6th, slightly earlier than normal. 

Winemaking
The Flatridge Zinfandel is a very special wine and vineyard.  The   vineyard was planted with a selection of Zinfandel sourced from a 100 year-old   vineyard next to the St.  Peter’s Church in the northern Sonoma town of Cloverdale. The church’s vineyard has been the source of plant material for many well known producers of Zinfandel in the Rockpile Appellation of Sonoma County.  The wine was made in small open top fermenters in a style similar to Pinot Noir; hand plunging the cap three to four times daily.  The wine was made with a premium yeast strain which was selected from a Rockpile variety of Syrah.  

Tasting Notes
Fresh baked blueberry pie cooling on a window sill is the image that comes to mind. The 2017 Flatridge Zinfandel is soft, supple with a never ending finish that seems to linger and linger. Notes of earthiness and sage coupled with dark, ripe berries make this rich wine the perfect accompaniment with a decadent dark chocolate dessert, grilled sirloin with black peppercorn sauce, or on its own. This wine will drink nicely for the next 5-7 years. Cheers!