Montevina Terra d'Oro Zinfandel(2004)

HARVEST DETAILS Date: September 2004 Brix: 25.5 T.A.: .64g/100ml pH: 3.40 WINE INFORMATION Alcohol: 14.5% T.A.: .60g/100ml pH: 3.50 Cases: 11,000 Release Date: October 2006 Vineyard and Varietal Information: Zinfandel has long been known as California's heritage varietal, but the grape does have a questionable past. Zinfandel appeared in New England where European immigrants grew it under glass as a table grape. Sometime prior to the gold rush it was shipped to California and its potential as a red wine grape was discovered. Zinfandel's origin remained uncertain until DNA read more...fingerprinting became available. The Italian grape Primitivo seemed to be a genetic match and it was assumed for some time that Primitivo was the parent of American Zinfandel. In the 1990's a UC Davis research group disproved this theory. Zinfandel was traced to Croatia and an obscure grape called Crljenak, which originated on the Dalmation Coast. How and when it arrived in the New World remains a mystery. At Montevina and in Amador County, Zinfandel is what we do best. Shallow topsoils, granite hardpan, hot summer days, and cool summer nights make a fabulous home for our favorite varietal. Hand selected every year from our many lots of Zin, Montevina Terra d'Oro Zinfandel is the flagship of our Zinfandel program. We head train and spur prune the TDO vineyards for maximum sunlight and controlled crop. Winemaking Information: At Montevina all our zinfandel vineyards are carefully handpicked and brought to the winery for processing. After being dumped into a hopper, which breaks open some of the berries, about fifteen gallons of juice per ton of grapes is removed. This process called saignee(from French to bleed) increases the solid to juice ratio during fermentation. The grapes are then destemmedand crushed and the must is sent to stainless steel tanks. The must (a mixture of crushed and whole berries, grape juice, skins, and seeds) is left to cold soak for up to three days. This allows a primary extraction where water acts as a solvent and breaks down the cell walls of the grape solids extracting flavors, color, and aromas. This is less powerful than the alcohol extraction that occurs after inoculating the tanks with yeast but the resulting flavors from each extraction are unique and add complexity to the finished wine. After gentle tank pressing the wine is aged in a combination of French and American oak. Tasting and Chef Notes: Montevina 2004 Terra d'Oro Zinfandel tastes like tradition. Like a backyard barbecue dark smoky molasses and hickory toast aromas warm the nose. Blackberry flavors are spiced with pepper, clove, and anise like homemade preserves. A long lingering caramel finish touched by dark toasty oak begs for another sip. Sweet and spicy are two classic culinary combinations. Our chefs match many of our favorite dish with this classic zinfandel, ranging from barbaque short ribs in chipotle dipping sauce to pan-seared filet mignon….or just an old fashioned juicy cheeseburger.    (hide)