Beskrivelse
For over 50-years, St. Francis Winery & Vineyards has defined Sonoma County excellence by producing award-winning wines of the highest caliber from mountain and valley vineyards throughout the region. As a 100% Certified Sustainable winery, we are committed to nurturing and preserving the splendor of our natural environment for future generations to enjoy. We invite you to share in our legacy.
Tasting Notes
A vibrant blend of old vine fruit, this aromatic wine offers layers and layers of rich, fruit flavors and spice. Juicy raspberry, blackberry preserves, and a touch of dried cranberry are balanced with spicy notes of cinnamon and black pepper that merge with a lengthy finish.
Vintage Notes
Our 2021 harvest began just a little earlier than last year, with the first fruit picked on August 18. Limited rainfall during the growing season produced slightly lighter crops but brought intense, concentrated flavor and color. Free from lingering heat waves, the consistent weather during the summer months helped maintain fruit acidity for brightness and balance. Harvest continued through the middle of October when we picked the last red grapes from our estate Lagomarsino Vineyard.
The grapes in our Sonoma County “Old Vines” Zinfandel come from vineyards in Sonoma Valley, Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley. Planted 50 to more than 100 years ago, many of these historic vines are planted on St. George rootstock and are head-pruned and dry-farmed, producing low yields of fruit with highly concentrated, intense flavors and aromas.
Winemaker Notes
The grapes are gently de-stemmed and crushed before cold-soaking for three days to extract optimal color and flavor. The fruit is then inoculated with many different yeast strains to build complexity, then fermented in separate lots using a combination of pump overs and delestage to soften tannins. Secondary malolactic fermentation occurs in French oak barrels.The wine ages in barrel for sixteen months before final blending and bottling.
