Rock Wall Monte Rosso Reserve Zinfandel 2014
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Wine Spectator
Plush and plump, with floral cherry and pepper aromas that lead to rich, jammy flavors of ripe raspberry, licorice and spicy caramel. Drink now through 2023.
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Wine Enthusiast
High-toned red fruit stars in this wine, a nice showing of the sought-after vineyard site atop Moon Mountain. Soft, elegant and integrated in terms of tannin and oak, it retains the structure and acidity to age well and take on additional complexity. Drink now through 2020. Cellar Selection.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Concentrated blackberry fruit is a strong and confident player right from the first here, and, if its ample aromas suggest that ripeness will be its governing trait, this mouthfilling wine does not succumb to jammy, late-harvest overstatement and is solidly structured for the big-bodied Zin that it is. Its continuous fruit flavors are infused with a full complement of spice and a smattering of dark soil, and, despite edging to heat at the finish, it never errs to softness and stays reasonably well-balanced all the way to the end. It is nonetheless on the slightly gruff and youthfully tough side of things for the nonce, and it should be allowed to rest for at least a couple of years rather than being drunk down in haste.
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Enthusiast
The Rock Wall Wine Company is founded on the philosophy of the right grape in the right place and are the result of many long-term relationships with acclaimed vineyards. Grapes are sourced from all over California which creates a diverse winemaking environment, complete with different grape varieties, styles and regional flavor profiles.
Ideally situated in Alameda, California, the winery boasts spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline, and more importantly its locale allows the winemaking team to be regionally centralized - ensuring that whether Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, Zinfandel from Sonoma County, Petite Sirah from Contra Costa County or Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands, the winemaking team is able to handle the fruit soon after it is picked.
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.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.