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Wine Recommendation
Storybook Mountain Vineyards
2003 Mayacamas Range Zinfandel(Napa Valley)
No where else on the planet does Zinfandel express itself so supremely as right here in the good ‘ole USA. While France lays claim to most of the benchmarks for the more “noble” varietals – Bordeaux blends, the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays of Burgundy, Syrah from the Northern Rhone, etc – we can proudly say that while not native to the USA, the humble Zinfandel of Croatian origin thrives on our soils.
Old vine patches in particular give wines of immense character, more than just the upfront “Carmen Miranda” or “call girl” styles that garner the high points by, well, you know who.
Zinfandel styles range across the board from round, warm, jammy, and slightly spicy to full blown, heavily extracted, and lavishly oaked. One of the few remaining examples of the understated “claret” style of zinfandel is this old vine, organically-farmed wine from Jerry Sepps, longtime proprietor with his wife of Storybook Mountain Vineyards. Elegant and supple with soft notes of blackberry, cherry, earth, tar, and mineral, the wine opens up beautifully with aeration or aging in the cellar.
Reviewed December 20, 2006 by Catherine Fallis.
Other reviewed wines from Storybook Mountain Vineyards
 2003 Eastern Exposures Zinfandel, Estate (Napa Valley)Catherine Fallis 12/14/2006 |
The Wine
Winery: Storybook Mountain Vineyards |
The Reviewer
Catherine Fallis
Founder and President of Planet Grape LLC, a company committed to bringing the joy of wine, food, and good living into the lives of everyday people, Catherine is creator of the “grape goddess guides to good living,” a series of books, television presentations, seminars, and e-learning programs. The fifth woman in the world to become a Master Sommelier, grape goddess Catherine Fallis is still very much down-to-earth. |