Williams Selyem Fanucchi-Wood Road Zinfandel 2019
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Surprising top notes of apricot come through and mix with notes of boysenberry in this powerful and brooding wine. There is no mistaking that this is an old-vine vineyard. At 125 years-old, this completely dry-farmed vineyard consistently produces harmonious wine with tremendous concentration of tannin and flavor while remaining lithe on the palate. Minerals and dark chocolate-like tannins complete the palate profile in this very complex wine.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep ruby-purple in color, the 2019 Zinfandel Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard takes time to open, driven by scents of turned soil, woodsmoke, iron and aniseed over intense black berry fruits, fleshing out with time in glass to top notes of dried flowers and orange peel. The full-bodied palate explodes with layered, spicy fruits, supported by grainy tannins and with a bite of fresh acidity on the finish that draws you in again and again for another sip. What a stunning vintage for Fanucchi-Wood Road!
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromatic in rose petal and dried herb notes, this wine is from a site planted in 1890. Soft and textural, it offers baking spice mixed in blackberry and blueberry compote, with a finish of dark chocolate nibs
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Williams Selyem Winery began as a simple dream of two friends, Ed Selyem and Burt Williams, who pursued weekend winemaking as a hobby in 1979 in a garage in Forestville, California, and made their first commercial vintage in 1981. In less than two decades, Burt and Ed created a cult-status winery of international acclaim. Together they set a new standard for Pinot Noir winemaking in the United States, aligning Sonoma County's Russian River Valley in the firmament of the best winegrowing regions of the world. Today John and Kathe Dyson, who purchased the winery from Burt and Ed in 1998, carry on the passion for Pinot Noir winemaking without compromise. As for the wines... they just keep getting better and better.
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.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.