Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel Red Hills Lake County 2007

Cakebread Cellars has each of our three Zinfandel clones at Snows Lake harvested and fermented separately. After a short, warm fermentation in stainless steel tanks to fully extract color, flavor and tannins, the wines remained on the skins for another two weeks to further enhance color and flavor extraction while softening tannins. After pressing the wines off the skins, we transferred the lots to French oak barrels, 37% new, where they aged before the final blend was assembled in May, 2007. The wine then aged another eight months in barrel before bottling in January, 2008.

Dense and well-structured, with cherry and clay aromas and pomegranate, tea and white pepper flavors that finish with ripe tannins.

Winemaker's Notes:Our 2007 Red Hills Lake County Zinfandel is perhaps a bit more open at this stage of its development than our three previous vintages. Its scented, almost floral nose of fresh str

"Cakebread Cellars has each of our three Zinfandel clones at Snows Lake harvested and fermented separately. After a short

Winemaker's Notes:"Our 2007 Red Hills Lake County Zinfandel is perhaps a bit more open at this stage of its development than our three previous vintages. Its scented, almost floral nose of fresh strawberry, red cherry and blackberry fruit also boasts intriguing milk chocolate, wild herb and cracked pepper scents, creating a marvelously complex bouquet. On the full-bodied, smoothly textured palate, the wines mouthfilling cherry, raspberry and blackberry flavors mingle with pronounced briary spice, rich chocolate and toasty oak tones to create a delicious taste experience. While the forward fruit and supple tannins of this youthful Zinfandel make it delightful to drink now, especially with hearty, spicy fare, it will age well for another 3-5 years."

tea and white pepper flavors that finish with ripe tannins. "\

Here's a rare treat. In the winter of 2000, a long time friend of Dennis Cakebread’s, mentioned his family had purchased 2,000 acres of land in the Red Hills appellation of Lake County close to Clear Lake. Cakebread's vineyard consultant extraordinaire, Dr. Phil Freese started working with the site, he realized it was perfect for Zinfandel. Lake Country is an historic North Coast grape growing region that is attracting increasing attention for its quality grapes and wines. Red Hills, located in the Mayacamas Mountain Range, is the region’s most impressive appellation, one ideally suited to the cultivation of red wine grapes. The vines are planted at the foot of Mt. Konocti in magnificent red, rocky soils at elevations between 2,100 and 2,300 feet. They enjoy a perfect growing season climate of warm, sunny days similar in heat summation to Oakville in Napa Valley, but with evenings dramatically cooled by mountain breezes. This major diurnal shift in temperature—sometimes as much as 50 degrees—ensures that the grapes grown in Red Hills’ well-drained volcanic soils ripen with intense flavors early in the season while retaining healthy levels of acidity. This 2007 Red Hills Lake County Zinfandel is scented with an almost floral nose of fresh strawberry, red cherry and blackberry fruit and also boasts intriguing milk chocolate, wild herb and cracked pepper scents, creating a marvelously complex bouquet. On the full-bodied, smoothly textured palate, the wine’s mouthfilling cherry, raspberry and blackberry flavors mingle with pronounced briary spice, rich chocolate and toasty oak tones to create a delicious taste experience. While the forward fruit and supple tannins of this Zin make it delightful to drink now, especially with hearty, spicy fare, it will age well for another 3-5 years. Limited!