Aloha Everyone

Aloha Everyone:

A reminder to all (who are maybe waiting for the 2005 reviews to come in) --- grab your Rosenblum Vineyard designates while you can! Allocation (current inventories in parenthesis):

#9836 Rosenblum Zinfandel “Richard Sauret Vyd.”, Paso Robles 2005 12/750 $252.00/Case $21.00/Bottle (27 cs.)

This wine comes from the highest elevation vineyard in the region and is a blend of three different clones of Zinfandel. The resulting wine was aged in 60 gallon oak barrels with 30% new American oak, 30% one and two year old American oak, and 40% one and two year old French oak. The Sauret has a very intense and rich bouquet of ripe blackberries and currants with hints of vanilla and black pepper.

#9843 Rosenblum Zinfandel “Planchon Vineyard", SF Bay 2005 12/750 $252.00/Case $21.00/Bottle ( 8 cs.)

Owned by Stan and Gertie Planchon, their eponymous vineyard is located on sloping, sandy terrain in the Contra Costa County town of Oakley. Half of the vines are over one hundred years old, head pruned and dry farmed. The other half is cordon trained on a two-wire vertical trellis system using the same old vine clone. Yields are typically two- to two-and-a-half-tons-per acre of ultra ripe, premium fruit. 96% Zinfandel, 4% Petite Sirah, aged in 65% French oak, 30% American, 5% Russian oak. This beautiful, extracted wine shows a bouquet of plums, cassis, and a touch of smoke with elements of cocoa and vanilla. The ripe, fat, black cherry flavors are punctuated with hints of smoked bacon and Asian spice. This wine should age well for 5-10 years, but will certainly reward earlier consumption.

#9857 Rosenblum Zinfandel “Maggie’s Reserve”, Sonoma Valley 2005 12/750 $432.00/Case $36.00/Bottle (5 Cases)

Fruit for Maggie’s Reserve comes from a stunning vineyard that rests on a sloping plain just west of Arnold Drive in mid-Sonoma Valley, two miles south of Glen Ellen. The vineyard is planted to Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, with most being head-pruned and dry-farmed, and planted at the turn of the century. Hot days and moderately cool nights during the growing season mark the climate in this region and promote low yields of one to two tons per acre.92% Zinfandel, 8% Petite Sirah, aged in 90% French oak, 10% American oak. Aromas of wild raspberry, blackberry and a touch vanilla come all wrapped up with subtle hints of cocoa and mint. The flavors are even more extracted and compelling than the aromas. A cornucopia of rich raspberry, blackberry and cherry with hints of clove and mint explode on the palate. The finish on this wine is so intense that it will make you wonder if life can get any better.

#9839 Rosenblum Zinfandel “Lyon’s Reserve", Napa Valley 2004 12/750 $432.00/Case $36.00/Bottle (1 case)

90 Points/Two Puffs: Connoisseur’s Guide. This wine is a blend of two distinct vineyard sites that we have discovered produce a wine of incredible intensity when paired together. A mixture of gravelly volcanic loam from RustRidge Vyd. at an elevation of 750 feet, and the incredibly rocky soils of Lyons Vineyard at an elevation of 1,400 feet offer the perfect combination of terroirs for Zinfandel. This wine is a blend of two distinct vineyard sites that we have discovered produce a wine of incredible intensity when paired together. A mixture of gravelly volcanic loam from RustRidge Vyd. at an elevation of 750 feet, and the incredibly rocky soils of Lyons Vineyard at an elevation of 1,400 feet offer the perfect combination of terroirs for Zinfandel. This robust, stunning wine offers minerality and black cherry, with notes of cracked white pepper flying out of the glass. A wine of power, but with a soft inner core that keeps you coming back for more.

#9837 Rosenblum Zinfandel “Monte Rosso Vineyard", Sonoma Valley 2005 12/750 $432.00/Case $36.00/Bottle (9 Cases)

This wine is a pure example of what mountain fruit can produce. Zinfandel at its finest! Outrageous and truly a Zin lovers dream! Monte Rosso means Red Mountain, and indeed the terrain in this vineyard is both red and mountainous. It is located at the top of Moon Mountain Road in Sonoma and the vines date back to the 1800’s. The particular blocks that produced grapes for this wine also contain a small amount of Alicante Bouschet, Carignane and an unidentified varietal now known as a UVO (Unidentified Vinous Object). Aged in 75% French Oak , 25% American 60 gallon Barrels, 85% New. Tiny production.

#9840 Rosenblum Zinfandel “Annette’s Reserve”, Redwood Valley, Mendocino County '04 & '05 12750 $345.00/Case $28.75/Bottle (2 cs.)

The vineyards (Rhodes and Columbini Vineyards) encompass over 60 acres of sloping red loam and shale in the eastern Redwood Valley of Mendocino County. Thirty-five acres are planted to 42-year-old, head-pruned Zinfandel vines, with the balance planted to Carignane and Petite Sirah. Production is an average of two-to three-tons-per acre. This rich exotic example of Mendocino Zinfandel is the product of superb old vine vineyards that are dry farmed and head pruned. The additions of 15% Petite Sirah & 5% Carignane have added layers of texture to both the aromatics and palate. Aged in 60% French oak, 40% American oak This wine displays dark cherries, menthol and spice, with elements of anise, cocoa and vanilla bean.

#9842 Rosenblum Zinfandel “Rockpile Road”, Dry Creek Valley 2005 12750 $345.00/Case $28.75/Bottle (19 cs.)

These small hillside vineyards sit high above Lake Sonoma with a great view of the lake and upper Dry Creek Valley. The unique location and the fact that these vineyards are planted to a rare clone of old-vine Zinfandel give this wine a very special nature. The name Rockpile Road is appropriate because the fence that borders Rockpile Road is made from rocks pulled from the vineyard. The soil is a volcanic loam with red clay and gravel. A blend of 93% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah, aged in 60% French, 40% American oak. The bouquet of this rich, extracted wine shows rich black cherry and black currant with hints of vanilla and black pepper. The flavors are ripe black cherry, currant and creamy spice with notes of dark chocolate.

#9848 Rosenblum Zinfandel “Harris-Kratka Vyd.”, Sonoma County 2005 12/750 $345.00/Case $28.75/Bottle (14 cs.)

This 16-acre vineyard in the rolling hills just east of the Russian River is located at the corner of Highway 128 and Chalk Hill Road. The vineyard is planted with half-century-old, head-pruned vines, 90 percent of which are Zinfandel, five percent Carignane and five percent Petite Sirah. The vineyard has a red clay loam soil. Production is typically two-and-a-half-tons-per acre, the wine was aged in 60% French, 40% American oak. This wine shows intense black cherry and ripe plum fruit typical of the Alexander Valley. It is smooth, silky and exotic on the palate with hints of violets, rose petal, vanilla and currants.

Aloha,

Alan

Last modified: 11/29/07