2012 Heritage Vines™ Zinfandel Alegría Vineyards

2012 Heritage Vines™ Zinfandel  Alegría Vineyards

91 points - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
93 points - Purely Domestic Wine Report
92 points - Zinfandel Chronicles
90 points & Gold Medal - Critics' Challenge Wine Competition
Gold Medal - Grand Harvest Awards Wine Competition
Gold Medal - American Fine Wine Competition
4 stars - Press Democrat

Tasting Notes

Richly textured aromas of bright, juicy berries, dark plum, and spices laced with toasty vanillin oak hint at the depth and structure of this Zin. The smooth entry reveals a delicious mix of black pepper and baking spices that accent the opulent ripe wild blackberry essence. Dried strawberry, cherry, and creamy chocolate join the flavors as they linger on the palate. Integrated oak and acidity form the backbone for this robust yet elegant wine.

This multi-dimensional, complex Zin exhibits the character and depth of our old field-blend vineyard, truly reflecting the sense of place.

Winemaker's Notes

Our old Zinfandel vineyard—which dates back to 1890—reflects the pre-Prohibition practice of field blending. The ancient vines in our Alegría Vineyards require extraordinarily focused individual attention, but the extra labor is justified by the resulting wine.

More than 17 grape varieties are inter-planted among the Zinfandel. We harvest and co-ferment the varieties together, and that produces our Heritage Vines Zinfandel’s distinctive complexity of aromas and flavors. This wine is truly blended in the vineyard.

2012 was our 23rd harvest, which concluded a near-perfect growing season. The vines were able to fully mature the grapes and develop rich, concentrated flavors that were accentuated by cold soaking before fermenting with a combination of native and Rockpile yeast. Bill’s careful selection of oak barrels from diverse forests and coopers added notes of spice and tannin to the layered grape flavors.

Click here to download a printable Fact Sheet PDF

AppellationRussian River Valley
Sonoma County
Varietal78% Zinfandel,
12% Alicante Bouschet, 8% Petite Sirah. The remaining 2% of the field blend includes Carignane, Trousseau, Sangiovese, Petit Bouschet, Negrette, Syrah, Plavac Mali, Tannat, Muscat Noir, Peloursin, Béclan, Cinsaut, and Grenache
PairingEnjoy a glass with a balsamic-marinated roast slow cooked with sweet onion, red potatoes, and baby carrots, or with eggplant roll-ups stuffed with herbed goat cheese.
Alcohol14.50%
Bottle750ml
Cases587
ph Level3.77
TA6.57g/L