2017 Grist Vineyard Zinfandel
Certified Sustainable Wine | Sonoma County Winegrowers
This beautiful terroir-driven wine boasts vibrant, zesty aromas of blood orange, huckleberry, white pepper and lavender; savory undertones of Italian green olives and rosemary, with just a hint of incense. Fresh and explosive on the palate, with raspberry, red currant, boysenberry, and sweet pipe tobacco on the finish. Youthful, plush tannins coat the palate while the incredibly mouthwatering tart acidity balances the structure perfectly, creating a juicy and impeccably balanced wine.
Originally settled by an Italian family in the late 1800s, Grist Vineyard is now owned by Sonoma County’s Hambrecht family. This Dry Creek Valley property is on the northwestern slope of Bradford Mountain at an elevation of 1,000 feet. The volcanic, red soils — Boomer loam and Stonyford loam — are reminiscent of Tuscany’s terra rosa. We source Zinfandel fruit from 30 of the 51 total acres, which were planted in 1974. Though there is some debate, the Zinfandel vines are thought to be from the “mother” blocks planted in 1900, the Hambrecht/Mead Atlas Peak clones.
