2013 Cerro Zinfandel Napa Valley

About the Wine

“One of the most fascinating attributes of zinfandel from California is that many are made from very old vines – some more than a century old. In other words, you are often drinking history when you open a bottle.”~ James Suckling.

This 100% Zin is a unique and fascinating wine: 50% of the vines are sourced from a block of Italian Primitivo clones, and the other 50% comes from Old Vine Zin. All the grapes are sourced from the Chiles Valley District (northeast of Rutherford,) a subregion within Napa Valley AVA where some of Napa's oldest Zin vines are found. There is no better way to gauge the classic character of old vine Zinfandel in California than through this wine. 

J. Derek Beitler, winemaker and owner of JDB Wines (and producer of this amazing Zin) comes from a winemaking family that’s as well regarded as any in Napa. You may have heard of his uncle, Charlie Wagner, founder of Caymus. His brother owns Bohème in Sonoma.

Derek does not rest on the successes of his family, though. He spent his summers working at Caymus while in college and continues the pursuit of perfection in crafting his namesake wines. He now owns two wineries—Carne Humana Winery in Napa which he founded with his cousin Joey Wagner in 2010. But before that, he started his solo venture, JDB Wines, in 2007.

2013 Cerro Napa Valley Zinfandel is a very unique and interesting wine. This is a 100% Zin, where 50% of the vines are sourced from a block of Italian Primitivo clones, and the other 50% come from Old Vine Zin. The grapes come from the Chiles Valley District (a subregion within Napa Valley,) a region where some of Napa’s oldest Zin vines are found. There is no better way to gauge the classic character of old vine Zinfandel in California than through this wine. 

On top of the amazing grape quality, this wine was born in an outstanding vintage for Napa Valley Zin. This year was blessed with a 92-point review by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. And Wine Spectator tells us that this year delivered "Lively but concentrated wines with a good structure built for long-term drinking."

Tasting Notes: 100% Zinfandel. Bright and fresh aromas of sweet red and black fruit. The palate is juicy, with lush flavors of ripe jam, spice, and sweet notes of oak. Finishing with spirited acidity and fine tannins. This wine pairs beautifully with BBQ ribs and grilled burgers or vegetables.

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