2016 Bedrock Wine Company Sodini Vineyard Zinfandel

Bedrock Wine Co. was founded in 2007 in a Sonoma chicken coop. But it’s not an exaggeration to say that Morgan Twain-Peterson, Bedrock’s founder and winemaker, has been in the wine business since birth. His father is Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood, the iconoclastic Sonoma producer known for powerhouse Zinfandel, and Morgan began blending his own wine at age five. After college in New York, Morgan worked in various areas of the wine industry before returning to California and starting Bedrock, named for one his family’s vineyards. He sources grapes from Bedrock and other vineyards throughout the region and often seeks out old vine vineyards. Bedrock’s flagship wine is the Bedrock Heritage, usually a blend of mostly Zinfandel and Carignan. Bedrock also makes Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and many red and white blends. Reviews have been highly complimentary. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that Twain-Peterson “has hit the wine scene with a bang, producing vibrant, personality-filled, delicious wines from extremely old vines and, in some cases, virtually unknown grapes, such as Aubun, Teredalgo, Trousseau Noir, Le Noir, Mission, Trousseau Gris, Grand Noir and Abouriou, as well as Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Carignan, Alicante Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo. Many of these sites are heritage terroirs from the ancient past which, until Peterson's arrival, were largely ignored or were co-mingled into some innocuous industrial blend. Bedrock's portfolio is filled with exciting wines.” Twain-Peterson has earned the distinction of becoming a Master of Wine by successfully completing the rigorous program at The Institute of Masters of Wine. It is one of the mostly highly regarded qualifications in the world of fine wine.

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.