R&B Cellars

Vineyards:
We have found over the years that oftentimes the best blend of a certain varietal will be better with a mix of vineyards within a region, and also that blending in a small amount of a complementary varietal can add significantly to the complexity of the final wine. This superb wine is a combination of Zinfandel from two excellent vineyards in Lodi, each bringing its own distinct characteristic to the blend, and a small percentage of Petite Sirah, adding considerable richness to the overall wine.

Cellar Practices and Winemaking:
In order to create a rich and velvety yet fruity wine, we blended 2005 barrel aged wine from LDLVineyard which is a classic old vine vineyard with 80 year old vines with 2005 wine from Vintage Estates Vineyard to show bright berry but still have that sweet jammy fruit character and good structure in the wine. Petite Sirah from the LDL vineyard was added in to the final blend for additional richness and intensity of fruit. The oak program was limited so that the wine would be well balanced and supple. The wine was cross flow filtered, which also contributed to leveling out the tannins and making the wine eminently drinkable upon release.

Winemaker's Comments:
The wonderful fresh berry fruit from the Vintage Estates Vineyard combines with the smooth oak aged flavors of the LDL Vineyard wine to achieve a super harmony in the bouquet and taste. The LDL Vineyards old vine zinfandel adds a zesty complexity, color complexity and a soft mouthfeel. The Petite Sirah enhances the structure and color of the wine and punches up the darker berry fruit character in the wine. The bouquet shows fresh strawberry and raspberry with hints of pepper and spice. The flavors are ripe berry with creamy cherries and an elegant spicy aftertaste.