Peirano Estate Vineyards ‘The Immortal’ Old Vine Zinfandel 2021, Lodi, California

2021 was a year that had exceptionally long hang time for the fruit, giving it the chance to develop layers of flavors. Combine that with the low yield of our 120-year-old head trained Zinfandel vines, and you can see why we were so excited by the intensity of the fruit. We had the opportunity to truly hand select the “cream of the crop”, making several passes through the block during the long optimal ripeness window. After hand-picking into half ton bins for the most delicate transporting of the fruit, the grapes were lightly crushed into the tank for fermentation. Fermented on the skins to dryness, it was then pressed and placed in French and American oak barrels, of which 15% was new wood. Aging in the barrel for 12 months allowed all the fruit components to be uplifted. Tasting notes: The color of this wine is truly immortal. Its rich, dark color goes on and on and on! The aromas of big, blackberry jam, ripe strawberries, along with a dark berry medley and orange blossom honey marry together to put your olfactory senses into a new dimension. The palate is wrapped in a mysterious, velvety layered mix of sweet blackberries, strawberries and blueberry compote followed by a healthy dose of chocolate on the finish.