St. Francis Old Vines Zinfandel 2019
Tasting Notes
The nose of this spectacular Sonoma Valley Zinfandel bursts with ripe red fruits. Hints of dark chocolate and almond frame strawberry galette, cinnamon, and savory white pepper aromas as the wine comes to life. The wine’s vibrant flavors unravel across the palate with juicy notes of bing cherry and just a touch of tart Fuji apple. The wine is refreshingly balanced, extending an enjoyably long finish.
Vintage Notes
We began our 2019 harvest before dawn on August 30. After a growing season that started in winter with record rainfall, the year ended with warm, even temperatures throughout summer. With few spikes in heat over the period, our vineyards had optimal conditions to develop full-flavored fruit with remarkable color and balanced acidity. Spring rains ended in time for good fruit set. The temperate summer allowed for long hang times and consistent, even ripening. We picked the majority of our fruit in September, and the weather continued to cooperate. Warm breezy days, but fortunately, no rain took place in October, and the last of the grapes were harvested before the end of the month.
Vineyard Notes
Maggie’s Vineyard is an 11-acre Italian “field blend” vineyard originally planted in the 1890s. It is located in the Sonoma Valley AVA, down by the Sonoma Golf Club. The vineyard is certified as a Registered Heritage Vineyard with the Historic Vineyard Society. Rosenblum Cellars leased portions of the vineyard in the mid-1990s as part of a long-term plan to rehabilitate the vineyard and improve production. St. Francis took over farming beginning in 2019. Tonnage yields vary from 1-4 tons/acre depending on block.
Winemaker Notes
Each vineyard block at Maggie’s is fermented separately as much as possible in order to showcase the unique qualities of each. A short cold soak is performed, followed by a 7-10 day alcoholic fermentation at moderate temperatures to balance extraction. After completion, each tank is barreled down to French barrels, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation. During this elevage the lots are tasted and evaluated before blend trials are performed prior to bottling.
