2022 Baca Cat's Cradle Zinfandel Rockpile 6pk 6x750ml

BACA Wines is one of the newer HALL brands, built entirely around producing top-tier Zinfandel from California's most prized sites. Jennifer Brown leads the operation as Vintner, overseeing everything from fruit sourcing to the final bottle. The focus is singular: old-vine Zinfandel from places that matter.

This one comes from Rockpile, the rugged northwestern appellation perched above Lake Sonoma. The terrain is steep, the elevation high, the growing season long and cool by Zinfandel standards. Rockpile fruit carries a signature density and mineral edge that sets it apart from the riper, softer profiles you'll find in warmer valleys.

2022 was a heat-dome vintage—the kind that can push Zinfandel into overripe, jammy territory. BACA navigated it cleanly. Fruit quality stayed high, and the wines came in with power intact but balance preserved. The Cat's Cradle bottling shows exactly that: dense, chewy, built for the long haul, with a core of dark fruit framed by graphite, anise, and coffee. The palate is soft and refined, carrying elegant weight without heat or blowsiness. Bright underlying freshness keeps the wine lively. Tim Fish called it "a winning combination of zesty and vibrant," scoring it 94 and predicting a drinking window through 2032.

This is Zinfandel for people who thought they'd outgrown the grape. Pull the cork tonight—it'll still be hitting its stride a decade from now.