Stuhlmuller Estate Zinfandel 2018, Alexander Valley, California

Stuhlmuller Vineyards, located in southern Alexander Valley, converges with two highly regarded Sonoma County appellations, Chalk Hill and Russian River Valley. On its eastern edge, the 150-acre vineyard borders the Russian River. Situated in a location that is part river benchlands and part hillside, the vineyard benefits from its alluvial gravel soils and the rockier soils of the hillside sections. This Zinfandel was co-fermented with our Petite Sirah as 100% whole berries in open-top stainless steel fermenters for a 16-day maceration period. A traditional manual basket press was then used for this small lot. The wine was aged in 50% French and 50% American oak barrels, with 20% new oak. It was racked twice and spent a total of 16 months in barrel before gentle crossflow filtration and bottling. Bright ruby color is followed by aromas of blueberry, boysenberry, red raspberry, and enticing floral elements. The palate of this Zinfandel is medium bodied, velvety, and smooth with fine tannins, displaying notes of briary red and black fruit. The finish is underscored by notes of vanilla, hints of allspice, excellent natural acidity, and a vibrant finish. 2018 vintage: 88% Zinfandel, 12% Petit Sirah.