WISDOM
2009 Old Vine Zinfandel - Mendocino
Vineyards & Blend

Brown Zinfandel....90%
Unusual in a land of vineyards planted by Italian immigrants, Donald Brown is of German heritage. He has been running vineyards since he was a child and he is now 80 years old. The vineyards are "tidy" and exhibit the care that only owner operators impart. Sited on a red soiled bench on the east side of Redwood Valley, this vineyard is managed for and produces moderate crops with intense flavors. The plants are in excellent health and benefit from strong afternoon winds that cool the vineyard in the period from 3:00 until sunset.
Our 2009 Zinfandel component was aged in 30% new oak with the balance in 2-4 year old oak for 18 months.
The flavor profile is one of raspberries, bright plum and dark spice.

Petite Sirah…6%
We use Petite Sirah with Zinfandel in the same way that Merlot is used with Cabernet; as an additional ingredient for depth and complexity. The Petite Sirah in our 2009 "Wisdom" is from a newer vineyard that our friends at Mendocino Wine Company planted for their top end projects. We thank them for giving us access to this fruit not available on the open market, as it really added weight and enhanced the finish of our 09 Wisdom. The vineyard site is a great bench at the foot of the steep mountain that forms the Western edge of the Ukiah Valley.
Petite Sirah adds rich color, enhances structure and yields subtle, dark fruit flavors.

Barbera...4%
We used a very special 60 year old vine Barbera vineyard in Redwood Valley. This variety is commonly planted in California's hot central valley where it's natural high acidity gives some life to the often flat wines, (like the land). It is not a common variety in Napa, Sonoma, or Mendocino where it has been overlooked in the rush to Cabernet. Barbera is attracting more attention now as wines produced from the few mature sites, made with top modern winemaking practices, exhibit great color, beautiful perfume and depth of flavor never found in the lesser districts. The vineyard is run by Rick Piffero a third generation grape grower here in Mendocino county.
The Piffero Barbera brings zippy acidity, bright color and ripe blueberry flavors to the mix.

The 2009 Wisdom is capable of an evolving bottle life that will continue to mature into a silken and memorable example of the best that can be in Zinfandel. This vintage is consistent with our mission to make rich Zinfandel in a balanced and elegant "claret style" that enhances a wide variety of food without being overbearing. It should be a great match for lamb, game, beef, red sauce pasta and other full flavor dishes.

Cheers!
Bill & Dennis