2022 Alexander Valley Zinfandel

The wine is dark ruby in color with aromas of brambly fruits, fine spice, and chocolate. The palate is perfectly balanced with flavors of boysenberry and a plush mouthfeel with fine tannins that offer a pleasingly smooth finish.

The season began with good rainfall in December and into January followed by an unusually warm February with no rain at all, a first in the recorded history of Sonoma County. These warm conditions accelerated bud break and the growing season by a few weeks. Early spring was spotted with heavy rain followed by near idyllic growing conditions through mid-summer. An August heat wave sped up ripening, giving the fruit nicely concentrated flavors for this vintage of Alexander Valley Zinfandel.

Bricoleur Vineyard’s 2020 Alexander Valley Zinfandel was carefully handpicked and arrived at Punchdown Cellars on the morning of September 10th. The fruit cold-soaked for two days before being brought up to temperature and going through fermentation. The fermenting juice was pumped over twice daily to bring out color, and flavor and provide a healthy fermentation. The wine was barreled down in early October where it aged for 16 months in French Oak barrels.

Lamb shoulder, dark chocolate, miso glazed leeks