North America | California | Navarro Vineyards | Zinfandel

Zinfandel

VARIETAL
Zinfandel: 57% of the vintage was produced from grapes grown by Ed Berry, and 43% was produced from vines farmed by Al Tollini.

NOTES
VINEYARD: In 1999, Navarro made their first wine from Al Tollini's block - planted in 1932 - and were so pleased, that the wine produced from his vineyard has been in every subsequent Navarro Zinfandel vintage. In 2004, Navarro made their first wine from Ed Berry's 60 year-old Zinfandel vines and, like Tollini, the wine produced from Berry's vineyard became a constant in Navarro's Zinfandel production. The long term respect that has developed with these two growers is beneficial to Navarro. Not only does Navarro have access to both growers' best fields, but since Jim, Navarro's winemaker, spends a lot of time walking the vines with Al and Ed, they both know exactly the fruit quality that Navarro expects and can adjust their farming practices to that end. Another reality that Navarro knows well: in order to maximize quality from any particular vineyard site, the winemaker has to make wine from that site over several vintages.

VINIFICATION: Harvest took place between September 2-20, 2015. Grape seeds contain very bitter compounds named ellagitannins, which are mostly extracted from grape seeds when the alcohol is over 12 percent (a low alcohol Zin is an oxymoron). Navarro's red wine regime features a slow, cold start to the fermentation process that allows the grapes' own enzymes to break down the grape skins and extract color and flavor early in the process so that when the alcohol reaches 12 percent, the must can be pressed and the juice removed from the skins before these bitter compounds are extracted. Waiting longer to press would have perhaps produced a bigger and more extracted wine, but at the loss of a supple mouthfeel making the wine-food pairing more of a challenge. Although this wine is simply designated Mendocino, it is produced entirely from vines that could be collecting Social Security. 928 cases produced.