2002 Zinfandel, Lone Redwood Ranch

We are exceedingly slow to release zinfandels. While that is a bit of a handicap (most of our restaurant accounts are asking when the 2005’s will be out), we do it for a very good reason. Our zinfandels are made, in the words of Robert Parker, “in a divergent style.” We have great fruit sources and we try to make wines from them that reflect the character and terroir of those sites. Because of this the wines are often closed in and a little backward for the first couple of years after bottling. The upside is that although they are slow starters, they are in the race for the long haul, revealing year after year new layers of complexity and interest. Both of these wines are cases in point. A year ago they were, while drinkable, no showstoppers. They are lighter in alcohol than some prior years (still over 14% but moderate by today’s standards), the fruit in both is typical of the vineyards, with the Lone Redwood showing more pure berry, the Mancini showing a bit of pepper as well. Both have excellent acidities, light to moderate tannins, are medium bodied and are beginning to show some complexity. The vineyards are less than 1.5 miles apart but these are distinctly different wines, expressing their individual terroirs perfectly. Our philosophy is to allow the vineyards to speak, and toward that end, they were both aged in older French oak barrels to preserve the character of the fruit. Both should continue to improve with bottle age for several years and hold for many more after.
367 cases Lone Redwood, and
597 cases Mancini Ranch bottled.