2019 Anderson Zinfandel

Dry Creek Valley

Anderson Ranch is in the venerable Lytton Springs corridor near our Wine Creek Ranch home estate. It rests on elevated benchland and planted in well-drained sandy soils with perfectly matched clones delivering an elegant, refined Zinfandel - our Grand Cru.

WINEMAKING NOTES
Anderson Ranchs decomposed sandstone soils are lightly colored and textured nurturing an aromatic-driven expression with uncommon natural acidity. The 2018 vintage marks the beginning of the second decade of us producing this offering and we continue to be amazed by the fruit. This is one of two wines in our portfolio that is 100% Zinfandel; a testament to the site and its microclimate with warm to hot days and typically cold nights. Traditional Burgundian techniques utilizing open-top fermenters, cool-soaking, hand punch downs and basket pressing to fully express the terroir. In 2019 we punched down less frequently while fermenting slightly cooler, to better focus on extracting aroma and flavor while still retaining balanced color and tannin. The wine was then aged in a mix of French oak barrels, from small barriques to 900 gallon Foudres designed to optimize aroma retention and tannin development.

THE WINE
The nose is filled with red cherries, tart raspberries, cocoa powder, nutmeg and a hint of tomato leaf. In the mouth, these elements explode, held together with powdery tannins and medium+ acidity. Mixed Italian herbs reminiscent of a fine Chianti Classico mingle with brighter red fruit. The chocolate notes move darker to a ganache topped with raspberry compote. This wine offers layers of flavors and complexity while remaining light in color and notably delicate.

This is an amazing expression of the Lytton Springs corridor and our true grand cru vineyard. Extraordinarily versatile with a wide array of foods and cuisines, this a Zin that truly breaks the mold. We expect this wine to reward further cellaring through at least 2028-2029.