2016 Seghesio Family Winery Old Vine Montafi Zinfandel

Seghesio Family Vineyards is one of Sonoma County’s historic wineries. Its roots date to 1886, when Edoardo Seghesio immigrated from Piedmont, Italy, to Sonoma, where he worked as a winemaker for Italian Swiss Colony. By 1902 Seghesio had purchased 56 acres in Northern Alexander Valley and had completed his first crush from his own vineyards. Today the estate includes 300 acres and is owned by the Crimson Wine Group, a conglomerate of small, West Coast wineries. Some members of the Seghesio family are still involved in management and the estate makes a broad selection of red and white wines. It is known for its Zinfandels, though it also produces Barbera, Sangiovese, Italian style whites, such as Arneis, and blends.

Russian River Valley AVA is named for the river that meanders from Mendocino County in the north until it finally runs into the Pacific Ocean north of San Francisco. The AVA is cool thanks to its proximity to the northern California coast and the river, and grape growers must learn to deal with regular fog. Nevertheless in recent decades the AVA has become one of the best in the state, meaning that its wines often earn excellent reviews and have considerable cachet. The AVA status was awarded in 1983 and today the appellation has 15,000 vineyard acres. Chardonnay is the most widely planted grape though Pinot Noir has also been very successful in recent decades. Russian River Valley Pinot Noir are known for being rich, lush and filled with concentrated fruit and berry flavors. Russian River Pinot Noirs are today considered some of the best domestic Pinot Noirs.

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.