98 Points, Best of Class - 2022 North Coast Wine Challenge
Pair with tangy blue cheeses, spicy hummus, grilled tri-tip, pasta Bolognese, smoked baby back ribs, slow roasted meats, and chocolate truffles with sea salt.
VINEYARD
Los Chamizal Vineyards are located in the rocky hillside foothills above the city of Sonoma, in the Moon Mountain District of Sonoma Valley. The beautiful terraced vines were first planted in the 1970′s and are carved into steeply sloping hillsides reaching 800 ft. in elevation. The soils range from well drained sandy clay loam at lower elevations to thin fractured basalt soils at higher elevations. The vineyard has a modestly warm climate through the day, with the vines savoring cooler evening air that preserves slightly higher acidity levels in the grapes. The hills are so steep that the vineyards rows have to be terraced, resulting in each vine getting perfect exposure to the sunlight, which is key for ripening zinfandel evenly. The rocky soils force the roots to grow deep, and the resulting wines show a great deal of character. Los Chamizal is sustainably farmed, using permanent crop cover, compost and organic fertilizers to nurture the soil.
VINTAGE
After a whole berry crush, we cold soaked the fruit for three days, and then put it through twenty days of fermentation. 100% Zinfandel.
Appellation: Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Valley
Vineyard: Los Chamizal Vineyards
Blend: 100% Zinfandel
Winemaker: Michael Muscardini
Alcohol: 14.7%
92 Points
Aromas of blackberry, dried fig, black cherry, blackberry coulis, toasted vanilla, and a hint of cigar box. The palate offers rich and velvety tannins, dark chocolate-covered cherries, black plum, mixed berry pie and toasted walnut. Long and expressive with loads of flavor.
94 Points, Wine Enthusiast
This opulent wine opens with aromas of blackberry, black plum, violets and spice on the nose. Flavors on the palate of dark cherry, sarsaparilla and orange zest wrap around dried tobacco leaf, malt chocolate and toasted vanilla, with a long, supple finish.
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