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Wine Recommendation
Ravenswood Winery
2004 Zinfandel, Old Hill Ranch(Sonoma Valley)
Joel Peterson, founder and winemaker of Ravenswood, came across Old Hill Ranch in 1981. The property had just sold, and was dilapidated and run down. Peterson recognized the potential of Old Hill Ranch, and convinced the new owners to restore the field blend vineyard to its former glory and Ravenswood has been producing vineyard designate wines from this vineyard since the early 1980s.
Old Hill Ranch is the oldest Zinfandel vineyard in the Sonoma Valley. It was planted in 1851 by William McPherson Hill, and it is a field blend in the true sense. In fact, there are over two-dozen different varietals that make up the 14-acre vineyard.
Joel Peterson will be the first to tell you that when vines achieve what he calls “ancient” status, that they are truly something special, and the wines that result from these vines are extraordinary. This wine lives up to that!
Aromatic for a Zinfandel, this one shows vanilla cream soda and nice raspberry on the nose, with flavors of red raspberry, white pepper and some cassis. There is some nice earthiness to complement the round fruit, and an unmistakable “field blend” type of spice and structure to this one. Zinfandels might not be known for their age-ability, but this one is sure to improve in the cellar. I’ve visited this ancient vineyard, and the flavors in this wine illustrate this magical place superbly.
Reviewed February 12, 2007 by Bradley Gray.
Other reviewed wines from Ravenswood Winery
The Wine
Winery: Ravenswood Winery |
The Reviewer
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray writes about wines from the Sonoma Valley, with occasional forays into neighboring regions. Stylistically, Bradley prefers wines that are clean and expressive, where varietal character comes before winemaking wizardry. To Bradley, a good wine is balanced, and speaks of the vineyard in which it was grown. |