California Heirloom Wine#2: Mystery Vineyard

California Heirloom Red Wine #2

Grapes: Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane, Valdigue(?)

Planted: 1913

For reasons that cannot be stated the name of this vineyard must be kept on the down-low. Plus, a little mystery makes it more fun, right?! Needless to say, it is a well-known, 100 year-old vineyard planted to Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Sirah, and even some Valdigue’.

It will receive the Bedrock Wine Co. treatment. Cofermentation of the varietals in open-top redwood vats, all indigenous yeasts, manual punchdown, limited new oak, all of that good stuff. Since I am making a whopping three barrels of this stuff I am going to use one new oak barrel—probably the one I take the Abbastanza out of after a few months. I cannot overstate how heinous I find over-oaked, or badly oaked Zinfandel. This is beautiful (and expensive) fruit and I would like to let it be the star here. The final blend of Zinfandel, Pets, and Carignane, will be decided at harvest time, but it is likely that it will be about 1/3rd of each.