Monte Rosso Zinfandel 2017

Aroma Profile: Aromas and flavors of baked raspberries, Bing cherry, and mulberries are balanced by notes of cracked peppercorn, vanilla bean and the historic vineyard’s hallmark overtones of spice and dusty earth.​

Tasting Profile: Rich and concentrated, this wine showcases a vibrant line of acidity that follows through in the long, silky finish.

One of California’s most prized locations for wine grapes, Monte Rosso Vineyard rolls across steep, rugged terrain in the majestic Mayacamas Mountains nearly 1,300 feet above the Sonoma Valley. Owned by the Louis M. Martini Winery since 1938, it is named for its rich, red volcanic soils and has produced award-winning wines for over three generations. The vineyard’s mix of high altitude, position above the fog, low-yielding vines and ideal western exposure produces wines with a unique sense of terroir.​ This wine is 100% Zinfandel from our revered Monte Rosso Vineyard. Though yields are small, about 1.5 to 3 tons per acre, old gnarled vines produce exceptional fruit with deep concentration. In 2018, bountiful winter rain delayed bud break and flowering. We had an ideal summer with generously sun filled days and cooler marine influenced nights, virtually uninterrupted by major heat spikes. The mild weather continued late into fall creating a very long growing season which allowed excellent flavor development and expression.

Our Gnarly Vine Zinfandel grapes were picked and sorted by hand at our Micro Winery. They were then gravity fed into small, open top tanks for a three-day cold soak before primary fermentation. The wine was aged in a combination of French oak barrels (47% new) and American oak barrels (21% new) for a total of 16 months.