2002 Von Strasser Monhoff Vineyard Zinfandel

Von Strasser Winery was founded in 1990 by Rudy von Strasser and his wife Rita. A decade earlier he’d been a college graduate determined to start a hard cider business in New England. With an agricultural degree under his belt and a thesis written on hard cider production, Rudy von Strasser in the early 1980s moved from New Hampshire to California where he figured a little time working in the wine industry might be helpful for his future in hard cider. But a year spent at Robert Mondavi changed his mind. He refocused his interest to winemaking, earned a degree from the UC Davis Enology program and became an intern at Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. He was winemaker at Trefethen and Newton before he and Rita found property of their own in the Diamond Mountain district. Von Strasser’s single-vineyards Cabernet Sauvignons have won numerous awards. In 2017 the Von Strassers bought Lava Vine Winery to add an “alternative varietal” portfolio to their offerings.

Diamond Mountain District AVA is in the Mayacamas Mountains at the northwestern end of Napa Valley. The appellation is relatively high and the entire district is more than 400 feet above sea level. Some vineyards are as high as 2,200 feet above sea level. Because of their altitude, Diamond Mountain vineyards experience warmer days but colder nights than vineyards on the valley floor. Once volcanic soil, the terrain in the appellation has over time become less fertile, making grape growing particularly challenging. Nevertheless the district has attracted wine producers for more than a century. There are 500 vineyard acres out of a total of 5,000 acres. Among the highly regarded wineries here are Lokoya Winery, Diamond Creek Vineyards and Schramsberg Vineyards. Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are generally firmly structured, rich and quite tannic. Chardonnay is full-bodied with apple and peach aromas and firm acidity.

Zinfandel is a black-skinned grape, but 85% of the wine produced is made into a rosy “White Zinfandel.” Red Zin is far more complex and bold, while still being light-bodied. It grows in popularity as winemakers continue to experiment with new styles and blends.