The California Directory of Fine Wineries

SONOMA, CA—From Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2013, Zinfandel Advocates & Producer’s (aka ZAP) presents what has become the largest annual Zinfandel wine tasting festival in the world. This year there should be 200+ wineries pouring at the Grand Tasting on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. The location is downtown San Francisco.

Now in its 22nd year, this annual festival is simply great. There’s a different vibe here. In attendance will be many of the winemakers and owners themselves. Throughout the years, I have found that both the vintners and attendees who populate this event share an intense passion about America’s heritage grape, Zinfandel. The upbeat energy is palpable and a real camaraderie prevails. But, of course, the main focus is on the wine.

The festival is made up of 4 events: Epicuria: Food & Zin pairings, Flights (“sold out”), Winemaker Dinners, and perhaps the best part, The Grand Tasting. It takes place on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013 and let me tell you—excellent wines will be flowing. Attendees will have the opportunity to taste both rare Zins—that they’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere—and others that, under normal circumstances, would prove to be real budget breakers.

Last week I interviewed the following five winemakers, and/or their spokespeople, who will be pouring some exceptional wines at the Grand Tasting. If you plan on attending, here’s my best advice. There will be far too may wines to taste on event day so do a little research ahead of time and make a list of who you want to seek out. Talk to friends, go on-line, visit your local fine wine dealer, and, of course, check the festival’s website to find out who will be pouring. Be sure to add several wineries to your list that you’ve never heard of and taste what they bring. If you’re really uneasy about whether or not you’ve come up with a suitable list, and you need a little reassurance, you can reach out to me as well. You know, I’ll do my very best to comfort you.

Zincerely yours,

—Tom Silberkleit, editor-in-chief
The California Directory of Fine Wineries
Sonoma, California

A Candid Conversation With The “Other” Joel Peterson

Hope Family Wines, Paso Robles, California
Interview with Joel Peterson, Director of Communications

Though perhaps best known for their popular Liberty School brand of Cabernet. Hope Family Wines, located in Paso Robles, California, began producing Zinfandel in 2008 under the Candor label. The Candor label was created to showcase two particular grapes: Merlot and Zinfandel. But it was their Zinfandel that quickly caught on with customers. Zinfandel has been farmed in Paso Robles for over 100 years. Today, this evolving wine region has developed a fine reputation for growing high quality grapes at down-to-earth prices. The Candor Zinfandels retail for around $18-$20. According to, Director of Communications, Joel Peterson, the name Candor was selected for the brand to reflect “the candid, sincerity and the honest expression of the Zinfandel grape”. Zinfandel has become known as the heritage grape of California. Its history goes back to the pioneers who brought the grape westward in their covered wagons. Zinfandel was one of the heartiest vines of the day and better able to thrive in diverse soils and unpredictable climates of the new frontier.

Winemakers Austin Hope and Jason Diefenderfer have aimed to produce a fruit-forward style of Zinfandel. That’s easily done in Paso Robles due to the region’s heat. Yet in spite of the region’s often intense sun, their Zinfandel is not too high in alcohol. It hovers at about 14.5%.

WHAT THEY’RE POURING at the Grand Tasting:

Hope Family Wines will be pouring 3 wines at the ZAP Grand Tasting:

-Candor “Lot 3” — their current release. 
-Barrel samples of Candor “Lot 4” — scheduled for release in February, 2013.
-Liberty School Zinfandel — This is a special treat as this wine is only produced for the Canadian market. You won’t be able to get it in the USA so, attendees, don’t miss your only opportunity to taste what our friends to the north are enjoying with Sunday night dinner. (I imagine it pairs well with Caribou.)

Note: Hope Family Wines has a very nice tasting room in Paso Robles, CA where they pour their many labels: Treana, Liberty School, Candor, Troublemaker & Austin Hope wines. I wholeheartedly recommend a visit!

 

One Giant Leap For Zinfandel

Tres Sabores Winery, Napa Valley, California
Interview with Julie Johnson, Owner/Winemaker

Owner/Winemaker Julie Johnson produces about 2mx cases of wine at her working winery and small farm in the heart of Napa Valley. She also grows pomegranates, lemons, and raises guinea hen and sheep. Her family started Frog’s Leap Winery in 1981 and contributed much of her estate fruit to the brand through 2001.

In 1999, Johnson started the Tres Sabores label to showcase the exceptional fruit from her estate vineyard. Under this label she produces just 500 cases of 100% Zinfandel. Her estate fruit has been “certified organically grown” and dry farmed since 1987.

Johnson explained that their dry farming style doesn’t “push” the grapes. Rather, she looks to the terroir to guide her and says that this philosophy “keeps the wine understated and elegant”. She is quick to add that one should not think that her Tres Sabores wines are lacking in “umph” and explains that “they are full-bodied and full flavored which makes them an excellent choice to pair with even strong flavors like lamb”.

The Tres Sabores vineyard rests on Napa Valley’s western Rutherford Bench where late afternoon shade mitigates the harsh sun, even in summer. This allows for softer fruit development to create the Tres Sabores elegant flavor profiles and gentle finish.

Johnson says the ZAP festival’s Grand Tasting is a great opportunity for attendees to explore. She points out that the owner winemakers are often as eager to talk to you as you may be to talk with them. “Seek out producers whom you’ve never heard of and you’ll be able to taste the whole spectrum of Zin. At the end you can better form your opinion of what you like best,” she said.

WHAT THEY’RE POURING at the Grand Tasting:

-2010 Estate Zinfandel (100% Zin)
-Por qué no? (blend: predominantly Zin w/ Cab, Petite Sirah; a touch of Petite Verdot)
-Ingrid & Julia Rosé (made primarily from Zinfandel)

Note: One thing you’ll certainly find at the Grand Tasting is a wide and wonderful range of both wine styles and wine lovers!

Zinfandel Put Them On The Map

Thacher Winery, Paso Robles, California
Interview with Michelle Thacher, Co-owner

Winemaker/co-owner Sherman Thacher, a fifth-generation Californian, spent 16 years as beer “brewmaster” at the Los Gatos Brewing Company, in Los Gatos, California, where he also made small batches of wine on the side. Eventually, the seductive song of Zinfandel lured Sherman and Michelle to Paso Robles wine country where the Thacher label was born in 2004. Their five-hundred-square-foot tasting room, which resembles a small farmhouse, opened in 2008. This charming family-owned winery is producing just 2,000 cases of wine annually and their four acres of Zinfandel vines just turned four years old.

In addition to their estate grapes, Thacher Winery sources additional fruit from within a 5-mile radius of their property. According to co-owner Michelle Thacher, her husband, Sherman, looks to the vineyards from which he sources as his “spice cabinet”. He works with a solid mix of both young and old vineyards; some dry farmed; some irrigated. The magic comes in the blending.

In 2011 at the San Francisco Chronicle Tasting, their 2008 reserve Zinfandel was a “red sweepstakes” winner. According to Michelle, that really put them on the map with Zin lovers. Their goal is to produce food friendly wines with good balance that are not too sweet and don’t have too much alcohol.

Many of Thacher Winery’s customers are based in Southern California so Michelle is excited about pouring at the upcoming ZAP Grand Tasting in San Francisco. “It’s an opportunity to introduce Northern California wine lovers to our delicious Paso Robles fruit,” she said.

WHAT THEY’RE POURING at the Grand Tasting:

-2010 reserve “Triumvirate” Zinfandel (sourced from their 3 best vineyards).
-2010 Paso Robles Zinfandel

These wines were bottled Aug. 1 and are being released to the public for the first time at the Grand Tasting event. Thacher winery is completely sold out of all their previous Zinfandel vintages.

Note: As mentioned above, Thacher Winery has an absolutely charming tasting room in the western hills of Paso Robles. This is the real deal. It’s open to the public Thursday through Monday and is a must-see stop when visiting this rustic California wine country.

Birth of The Phrase: “Old Vine Zin”

Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, California
Interview with Tim Bell, Winemaker

Established in 1972, Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Vineyard was the first new winery to be built in Dry Creek Valley, near the town of Healdsburg, since prohibition. Their two popular Zinfandel labels are: Heritage Zin, defined by its fruit-forward and vibrant flavor, and their Old Vine Zin. According to Winemaker Tim Bell, “Dry Creek Vineyards was the first to coin the term “old vine Zin” back in 1985.” They look to old vines to uncover “unique genetic material” that often will add character to their wines.

The winery also produces a few single vineyard Zins available only via their website or by visiting the Dry Creek tasting room. One of these single vineyard wines is made from the 100-year-old vines at Beeson Ranch on the west side of Dry Creek Valley. This vineyard is a key component of their Old Vine Zin. “The wine from this vineyard is quite peppery,” said Bell. Another very special vineyard that they draw from is Somers Ranch. “It’s a beautiful hilltop vineyard that produces fruit with dried cherry and rose petal aromas,” he said. “George Somers who owns and farms the property grows some wonderful fruit.” Visitors to the ZAP Grand Tasting will have the chance to taste Zinfandel from Somers’ 2010 crop.

Bell went on to tell me that Dry Creek Vineyard looks for balance and nice complexity for their wines. They’re not a high alcohol producer nor do they work with overly ripe fruit. They want their wines to work with food and often feature subtle flavors of cherry and boysenberry. 

Dry Creek Vineyard’s wines are indeed brimming with flavor. I will look forward to visiting this winery sometime later this summer. As the Sonoma County saying goes: “These wines are not wimpy.”

WHAT THEY’RE POURING at the Grand Tasting:

-2010 Heritage Zinfandel
-2009 Old Vine Zinfandel
-2010 Somers Ranch Zinfandel

Note: Bell told me that he loves the fact that “At the ZAP Grand Tasting the people and the producers in attendance have so much passion… Zinfandel has achieved its full expression here in California,” he said. “It’s a great calling card for our state.”

Planting Zins Uncommon to Paso Robles

Daou Vineyards & Winery, Paso Robles, CA
Interview with Daniel Daou, Owner/Partner/Lead Winemaker

Growing up in France, Daniel Daou simply wasn’t exposed to Zinfandel. He confides that he knew very little about the grape. Fast-forward to 2005 when a friend urged him to try an old vine Zinfandel made from Lodi fruit – and he was absolutely hooked. Today, Daou Vineyards has 7 acres planted to Zinfandel. Daou says that he is proud of the fact that he is farming the vines a bit differently from others in the region. He has chosen to plant some Zin clones uncommon to Paso Robles: a Rockpile clone and a DuPratt clone. Even the planting of these clones is somewhat unconventional. In an effort to stress the vines, and coax more character into his fruit, Daou has intentionally crowded the vines, planting 2234 vines per acre. 500 vines per acre is the more typical spacing locally, he said. Daou further explained that they also elect to “drop quite a bit of fruit” which gives the remaining fruit on the vine more balance. The grapes are 100% hand-sorted and hand picked. The juice is “100% free-run” — in other words, they don’t press the grapes. His Zinfandel would certainly not be characterized as a fruit bomb and they try to keep the alcohol to 14.5% max. His taste is to shy away from jammy wines as he prefers his Zinfandels to be “tannin driven.”

Their first estate Zinfandel, priced at $56, was released just last April and it was an instant hit— selling out in about 4 months. Daou believes that his more restrained Zinfandel has been responsible for converting many wine drinkers to this sensuous grape.

The winery only produces 1000 cases of Zin and, currently, they have no more left to sell. Their next vintage will be released on April 20. Daou expressed, with great enthusiasm, that this upcoming wine is “fantastic”. As the current vintage sold out, Daou will be bringing the following library wine to the Grand Tasting for the public to enjoy—

WHAT THEY’RE POURING at the Grand Tasting:

2010 Reserve Zinfandel (This was their very first estate Zin.)

Note: According to Daou, it was his friend Doug Beckett, owner of Peachy Canyon Winery in Paso Robles, who encouraged him to showcase this year at the ZAP Grand Tasting. He says that Beckett really fell in love with their Zinfandel. He felt that Daou belonged at the Grand Tasting to be a part of “this great, new wave of California Zinfandel producers.”

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