Rosenblum Cellars Appellation Series 2004 Zinfandel – California

Approximately: $19/Bottle

This is another wine that two friends of mine at work told me about. One, a doctor, the other, a manager. When my wife and I opened this bottle, and took a sniff of the fruity aroma, I think we were hooked before the first taste. Oddly enough, when we had a glass the second night, it actually was better than the first!

Some info about this wine:

Made from a combination of Zinfandel and Petite Syrah grapes consisting of 96% Zinfandel and 4% Petite Syrah.

The wine is aged in oak barrels, half of which are French oak the other half are American.

In this wine you will discover flavors of rich cherry, black raspberry a touch of chocolate truffles and aromas of anise.


From the Rosenblum website:
Vineyard : Continente Vineyard, Cutino Vineyard, Cecchini Vineyard, Madruga Vineyards
Composition : 96% Zinfandel, 4% Petite Sirah
Aging : 50% French and 50% American 60-galllon oak barrels.
Release Date : November 2005
Production : 12,000 cases

Vineyard :

This wine has been crafted by combining fruit from four of the finest vineyards in the San Francisco Bay appellation, which sits at the foot of Mt. Diablo in eastern Contra Costa County. Here, the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers meet the San Francisco Bay creating unique sandy soils. The region enjoys warm days, but also benefits from the significant marine influence at night. This combination of weather and sandy soils produces rich, exotic plum and cherry-laden Zinfandels.

Continente Vineyard – Home to the oldest vines in Contra Costa County, this family-owned vineyard dates back to 1878. It supplies both Zinfandel and Carignane for the blend.

Cutino Vineyard – This 30-year-old vineyard is situated next to Freedom High School in Oakley and produces some very flavorful and well-educated Zinfandels.

Cecchini Vineyard – Planted to the 100-year-old St. Peter’s Church clone in heavier soil just east of Oakley, this vineyard yields intense, currant-flavored fruit.

Madruga Vineyards – Manny Madruga is a native of Portugal, and his vineyards supply both Zinfandel and Petite Sirah for this blend. Manny’s fruit comes from a selection of old clones.

Cellar Practices and Winemaking :

Each vineyard was harvested at the peak of ripeness and fermented separately in small vat stainless steel fermenters. After aging in French and American oak, the best lots were combined and gently filtered before bottling in October 2005.

Winemaker's Comments :

At one time this historic winegrowing region had more vines than the Napa Valley. As a result of this Appellation’s sedimentary soil and sand, phylloxera did not devastate these marvelous old vines.

The wine shows rich, soft plum and ripe cherry flavors, with elements of earthy spice and dark chocolate.

It pairs beautifully with osso bucco, chile verde, or marinated chicken. It’s even perfect with wood fired pizza.

UPC#: 7-32048-00338-4

Back Label Text :

This exotic and spicy Zinfandel has been handcrafted utilizing fruit from a selection of premium vineyards in the San Francisco Bay appellation, which includes the Livermore Valley and parts of Contra Costa County. Located in the shadow of Mt. Diablo about 40 miles east of San Francisco and 20 miles south of Napa Valley, this region is host to exceptional Zinfandel vines which are often more than 100 years old.

Pair this wine with marinated grilled pork loin, coconut shrimp or chicken cacciatore.

Newsletter Comments :

This delicious wine which reflects the San Francisco Bay regional characteristics of rich plum, zesty cherries and spicy earth tones is a blend of four premium vineyards: Continente, whose oldest vines date back 120 years; Cutino with the Samsel vineyard clone; Cecchini and Madruga with the St Peters Church clone. The wine features 4% Petite Sirah.