Xtrovert Zinfandel Lodi 2016

Lodi, American Viticulture Area (AVA) – The Lodi AVA is located in the northern end of the San Joaquin Valley, Central Valley California, east of the San Francisco Bay. Lodi has warm days and cool nights, similar to the Mediterranean climate. The lower temperatures that occur in Lodi result in fruit with good acidity. A wide range of soils are found in the Lodi AVA, but they generally are deep, loamy, sandy, rocky soils similar to that found in southern Rhone valley.

The Lodi appellation totals almost one half million acres, and the approximately eight hundred growers farm roughly 90,000 acres. Lodi produces more Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Zinfandel than any other wine region in California, but it is probably best known for its old vine Zinfandel. The vines are often head trained giving them a classic old world appearance.

Zinfandel – The Zinfandel grape is a hearty variety that produces grapes with high sugar levels, often resulting in wines with a high alcohol content. Thought to be a relative of Primitivo that is found in southeast of Italy (the boot heel), Zinfandel can be made into a wide range of wine styles, including White Zinfandel, light or full bodied red wines, and even late harvest desert style wine. However Zinfandel, especially Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi, is usually made into a full bodied, spicy red wine with characteristics of red fruit, raspberry, and cherry.

Produced in the heart of Lodi AVA.

Rubus Zinfandel Lodi is made from 98% Zinfandel + 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
Bottled after aging in French and American oak for 9 months.

Rubus Zinfandel Lodi presents with ruby red in color, with red fruit, raspberry, and spice on the nose. This wine is medium in body, with notes of ripe cherry, cedar box, cinnamon, anise, black pepper, and hint of smoke on the palate. It has a long, silky finish.

Selected by Fran Kysela MS.

Review:

"Rubus is a brand created by importer Fran Kysela, whose tastes run towards the savory, especially in this old-vin zin, with its scents of bacon and briar. Its plummy fruit reverts to a pleasingly meaty savor on the finish." -  -Wine & Spirits Magazine (August 2018), 90 pts, Best Buy

Klinker Brick Winery Zinfandel Old Ghost made from 100 percent Zinfandel.

The Old Ghost represents the best Zinfandel that Klinker Brick produces each year. Brambleberry fruit aromas intermingled with anise, clove and exotic spice, echo previous vintages. Smaller berries harvested from this vineyard block tend to offer more “skin to flesh,” providing a greater level of smooth yet firm tannin and structure to this wine. Pair with your prime porterhouse or grilled lamb. 

Appellation: Lodi (Mokelumne River)

Varietal: Old Vine Zinfandel
Brix: 27
Residual Sugar: .33
Alcohol 15.9%
PH 3.71
TA .66

Review:

Ripe fruit flavors, a firm texture and generous spicy oak make this full-bodied wine a winner. The color is deep and dark, while the bouquet emphasizes blackberry and blueberry aromas that segue to a palate of baking spices and concentrated berries. -Wine Enthusiast 91 Points

Ripe and broad-shouldered, with perky baked cherry, smoked licorice and spice flavors. Drink now through 2022. 5,000 cases made. - Wine Spectator 90 Points

SALE!

Lodi, American Viticulture Area (AVA) – The Lodi AVA is located in the northern end of the San Joaquin Valley, Central Valley California, east of the San Francisco Bay. Lodi has warm days and cool nights, similar to the Mediterranean climate. The lower temperatures that occur in Lodi result in fruit with good acidity. A wide range of soils are found in the Lodi AVA, but they generally are deep, loamy, sandy, rocky soils similar to that found in southern Rhone valley.

The Lodi appellation totals almost one half million acres, and the approximately eight hundred growers farm roughly 90,000 acres. Lodi produces more Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Zinfandel than any other wine region in California, but it is probably best known for its old vine Zinfandel. The vines are often head trained giving them a classic old world appearance.

Zinfandel – The Zinfandel grape is a hearty variety that produces grapes with high sugar levels, often resulting in wines with a high alcohol content. Thought to be a relative of Primitivo that is found in southeast of Italy (the boot heel), Zinfandel can be made into a wide range of wine styles, including White Zinfandel, light or full bodied red wines, and even late harvest desert style wine. However Zinfandel, especially Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi, is usually made into a full bodied, spicy red wine with characteristics of red fruit, raspberry, and cherry.

Produced in the heart of Lodi AVA.

Rubus Zinfandel Lodi is made from 98% Zinfandel + 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
Bottled after aging in French and American oak for 9 months.

Rubus Zinfandel Lodi presents with ruby red in color, with red fruit, raspberry, and spice on the nose. This wine is medium in body, with notes of ripe cherry, cedar box, cinnamon, anise, black pepper, and hint of smoke on the palate. It has a long, silky finish.

Selected by Fran Kysela MS.

Gamba Zinfandel Family Ranches is made from 100 percent Zinfandel.

Sourced from several sites in the heart of the Russian River Valley, the grapes are vinified in our traditional style; with an extended soaking period. The vineyard lots were fermented on the natural indigenous yeasts, each lot fermented separately to highlight the distinctive characteristics and unique distinct flavor profiles of this world famous growing region. Dark ruby-garnet in color, this classic Russian River Zinfandel shows aromas of boysenberry, raspberry, brown spices, and pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the Family Ranches Zinfandel is balanced with excellent acidity: a powerful, rich and concentrated wine, with flavors of nectarine, cherry and raspberry that build through the lingering finish. This lovely wine can be enjoyed now, and will continue to develop with bottle age over the next several years. 

Uvaggio Primitivo Lodi  is made from 87% Primitivo, 13% Barbera

As we traverse the highways and byways of the wine world, the number-one question we encounter is “are Primitivo and Zinfandel really the same wine?” Well, yes and no. After years of genetic research, ampelographers discovered both are clones of a Croatian grape called Crljenak Kaštelanski (aka: Tribidrag). This means they’re not exactly the same (but oh so very close). It’s lively and fruity, generally offering a brighter expression than typical Zin (think fresh blueberries, not blackberry preserves). Neither Croatian or Pugliese, ours is a perfect complement with America's farm-to-table cuisine.

Decades ago we helped pioneer an 'old vine' Zin revial in the Napa AVA, plus planted Napa's first Primitivo. We have moved-on to a more cost effective AVA, sourcing from a vineyard planted for the Prisoner program.

Fruity and engaging; having a briary aroma of blackberry, floral notes like violet and a hint of spices like clove; with berry and cherry flavors, it has a bold and firm finish.

Harvest in mid Sept was followed by several days of cold maceration, after which the must was inoculated with a fruit enhancing strain of yeast. Immediately following the primary fermentation and pressing, the wine went into older neutral barrels for a malo-lactic conversion. While only minimally handled, late spring of the following year it was racked and we blended in a small percentage of Barbera, to enhance its expression and add complexity. Aging continued for another three months in neutral oak cooperage.
Bottled in Aug 2016; 14.9% alcohol, pH 3.58 & TA 6.0 g/l

Review:

"A wine for grown-ups, this is big but balanced and dry in style. It matches impressive layers of just-ripe blackberry and black-plum flavors with a sturdy structure of fine-grained tannins that clean the palate easily. It has considerable depth and focus, indicated by how the dark fruits seem to keep increasing in intensity even on the finish. - JIM GORDON"

- Wine Enthusiast (October 2017), 92 pts - Editors' Choice

The Sciandri family, they are wonderful people. Mr. Sciandri was a firefighter. When he retired from the fire department, he planted some vines in the Coombsville AVA, near the Caldwell vineyard, with plans of selling the fruit to some esteemed wineries. The Sciandri family asked Hank if he would consider purchasing fruit and making a Cabernet from their vineyard. Hank wanted to support the family, and he also knew the vineyard was in a prime location (plus he has complete belief in his winemaker). Hank took 5 tons of Cabernet fruit from the Sciandri family in 2017. He made just 200 cases. This wine is entering the market with rave reviews from Hank’s largest critics. He wishes he could’ve made twice as much!

The Vineyard:

Our Cabernet Grapes came from The Sciandri Vineyard in the Coombsville area just east of the city of Napa. The 4 acre vineyard, planted with clone 337 has a western exposure that stays cool thru influences of the San Pablo Bay.  This allows for long hang time that usually harvests at the end of October. The soil is well drained rocky hillside, primarily Hambright-Rock outcrop complex and Coombs gravelly loam.

The Grapes:
The grapes came in small-berried, deep black-blue and loose on the clusters. Following a five day cold soak, the fermentation took seven days followed by a 14-day extended maceration. After which the wine was pressed and transferred to small French Oak barrels for aging. The wine was bottled in summer 2019 after twenty months of maturation in 80% new French oak barrels.

Aromas of dark plum, cassis and anise meld seamlessly with savory dried herbs.  The mouth transforms into raspberry sweetness and a mineral note. This palate coating wine has a great toasted oak long finish. Wonderful now, this wine will however benefit from further bottle ageing reaching its peak in 3 to 6 years but drinkable for 10 years.  Only 200 cases produced.

Review:

From a vineyard situated in Lake County that dates back to the 1880’s. Ruby red in color. 14.5% ABV. Pretty nose of red fruits, flowers and baking spices. Medium body with bright acidity. Fresh and elegant. Bing cherry, raspberry, strawberry and a touch of peach on the palate. The finish is exquisite. Drink over the next 2-4 years. $35 at the winery and retail.  Zinfandel Chronicles  93 points.

““Lively and sleek, with floral raspberry, bay leaf and pepper flavors that glide toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2025.—T.F.  Wine Spectator, Insider Vol 14 No. 47 : March 31st, 2019 – 92pts