Fanucchi Zinfandel Russian River Valley Old Vine Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard 2004

This Zinfandel well crafted & while it opens up & shows well now it will age well for years to come. Just wine points gave it 99 Points for good reason! This one has some punch! Make no mistake it’s a concentrated full bodied Zinfandel but is still balanced in the European tradition and is loaded with ripe black berry fruit, smooth tannins, black pepper & a complexity that just keeps on going!

I've been a Fanucchi fan for a few years now & his wines are consistently in my personal top 10. Right now I really like both the Fanucchi 2002 & the 2004 Old Vine Zinfandel but I think the 2002 is much closer to it's prime while I think the 2004 may eventually be far superior I will be saving some 2004 & having more the 2002 in the coming months.

This is a really impressive Old Vines Zin. Very Old World in it's approach, it's not overly fruity as I find some Zins to be. The nose speaks of figs with a hint of anise and a salty sweet hint of cashews. On your palate it's well rounded with firm tannins and a bit of pepper. The finish is nice and long, and I think this could be appreciated for several years to come.

Sonoma Harvest Fair 2008 - Silver Medal

The smell action sensation is that of a leather-bound book with LOTS of fruit (and a pinch of saltiness)... good layers in there for sure. The taste takes those sensations and adds a little chocolate covered cherry to the mix with equal amounts sweetness and spice, yum!

I've been looking forward to doing a vertical tasting of Peter Fanucchi's current vintages of Old Vine Zin (the 2004-2002-2001) and finally got the chance to do so yesterday. The experience DID NOT disappoint. We started with this, the 2004. The nose is exactly like a skinned cherry covered in sea salt... intriguing, and a nice break from the candied sweetness I've grown accustomed to in Zinfandel's in this reasonable price point. There are great flavors of ripe cherries, with a slight vegetable component, like asparagus and cherry pie. The finish is long and glorious, smooth fruit flavors lingering on my tongue for several minutes after the bottle is gone. A great effort that will age gloriously, as the 2002 and 2001 will attest.

The 2004 is an absolutely superb all around wine! Originally, nearly 10 years ago, I discovered Fanucchi Vineyards Trousseau Gris but then I tried the Zinfandel at a dinner in the Carnelian Room (on top of the B of A building in San Francisco) between the panoramic bird's eye view, the food, & most of all the Fanucchi Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel I thought I was in Heaven!