Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve Zinfandel 2013
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This mix of mostly Zin with 14% Petite Sirah from a longtime source for this producer shows plenty of minerality around flavors of cinnamon stick, dark cherry and leather. Soft tannins give it approachability and juiciness that are buoyed by length.
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Wine Spectator
Sleek and well-structured, with raspberry and dusty rose aromas, offering layered, compact flavors of cherry, grilled herb and fresh pepper. The tannins are big yet polished on the finish. Best from 2017 through 2024.
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In 2000 Carol and her husband Mitch Mackenzie, a former software engineer, launched their own brand – Carol Shelton Wines. Faced with the opportunity to create her own identity and focus on whatever varietals she wanted, Carol chose Zinfandel.
Unapologetically bold, spice-driven and jammy, Zinfandel has secured its title as the darling of California vintners by adapting well to the state's diverse microclimates and landscapes. Born in Croatia, it later made its way to southern Italy where it was named Primitivo. Fortunately, the imperial nursery of Vienna catalogued specimens of the vine, and it later made its way to New England in 1829. Parading the true American spirit, Zinfandel found a new home in California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Somm Secret—California's ancient vines of Zinfandel are those that survived the neglect of Prohibition; today these vines produce the most concentrated, ethereal and complex examples.
High elevation vineyards—800 to 2,100 feet—on well-drained soils of red and brown clay loam, gravel and large rock outcroppings produce low yields of intense, high-quality fruit. Surrounded by Northern Sonoma County and overlapping Dry Creek Valley in its northwest corner, the Rockpile AVA produces some of California most powerful Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon based wines.