Rombauer California Zinfandel 2019
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Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThis richly layered berry-and-chocolate parfait of a wine exudes blackberries, black plums and milk chocolate on a creamy, smooth texture. A full body, soft tannins and a mouthcoating richness give it plenty of personality.
Coming mostly from the Sierra Foothills, the 2019 Zinfandel has a translucent ruby hue and a juicy, fruit-loaded, undeniably delicious style as well as red and blue fruits, supported by flowers, sandalwood, tobacco, and herbes de Provence. Just pure Zinfandel goodness, it's medium-bodied, has no hard edges, and a great finish.
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!