Dry-farming guru, Paul Bernier is the sole proprietor of Pillsbury Vineyard. On this site, he has heritage Zinfandel clones and vines that are head-trained and spur-pruned in old school fashion. Crushed oyster shells from the San Francisco Bays ancient beds blanket the vineyard grounds supplementing the soils and strengthening the vines naturally. WINEMAKING NOTES Without receiving any water (except from Mother Nature), dry-farmed vine roots dig deep into the earth to capture the water and nutrients that ultimately yield vibrant, lingering flavors. This vineyard was precision-picked five times at our direction to achieve perfectly balanced lots and a range of flavors. We handle the grapes in a Burgundianstyle manner, utilizing open-top fermenters, cool soaking, punching down by hand daily, and gentle basket-pressing to fully express terroir in the most transparent way possible. After pressing, the new wine settled for 1-2 days and was then transferred to barrels to finish primary and secondary fermentations. After that, half the wine was moved into a French oak foudre (600 gallon cask) to optimize aroma and flavor during the remainder of barrel aging. THE WINE Attributes of red and dark fruit, baking spice, and a mélange of dried fruit all comingle in the highly expressive nose. Slightly sweet floral and cedar spice emerge lending intrigue. On the palate, the dried fruit (dare we say fruitcake?) character lingers, fading into a long, warm finish. Flavors of raspberry, Princess Anne cherry, brandy-soaked cherries, and mulling spice engage your senses. Theres a balance and proportion here that is the trifecta combination of site, varietal, and grower. We expect this to cellar well for at least five to seven years (2025-2027). Claret-style Zinfandels like this are incredibly versatile with foodso be adventurous! We suggest you try wild mushroom risotto, porchetta, beef empanadas, braised boar, beetroot ravioli, roasted duck, a salami sandwich, or aged cheeses. Made with Organically Grown Grapes TECHNICAL NOTES APPELLATION: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County VINEYARDS: 100% Pillsbury Vineyard, 100% dry-farmed (no irrigation), organically grown COMPOSITION: 100% Zinfandel FERMENTATION: Predominantly small 2-4 ton open-top fermenters with punching down by hand 1-4 times per day BARREL AGING: 15 months total; first 8 months in French and American oak barrels (20% new); remaining 7 months in a mix of 500L French oak puncheons and one 600 gallon French oak foudre
