California Zinfandel: Paso Robles

This blog is based on the Spirits of New Mexico radio show that aired on July 17, 2021. We do on-air tasting of one or two wines to illustrate what is available in a particular wine region, or as a contrast of what influence a wine region has on a grape or blend. We use suitable glasses for the type of wine and do a double-decant of red wines to insure they have opened sufficiently for accurate judging.

We had so much fun with our two Zinfandel wines last week that we are back for more! We covered two very good California wine regions for Zinfandel, Amador County and Lodi. The first region was selected because it was the first region to plant these grapes in the mid-1850s and contains the oldest vineyards. The second region was chosen because it also has very old head-pruned vineyards and produces more Zinfandel than any other part of California. However as we also mentioned last week there are many regions producing outstanding examples.

If you read last week’s blog and thank you for that, the next section is very similar so you might want to jump to Paso Robles wine region.

Zinfandel Origins

The origin of Zinfandel was identified as Croatia in the late 1990s which was also the origin Primitivo, an Italian grape. Further refinements after years of research and DNA testing led to a single 90-year-old grape vine from the garden of an elderly lady in Split, Croatia. The evidence proved that Zinfandel was a Croatian grape that has been known as Tribidrag since at least the 15th century.

Cuttings of Zinfandel were brought to California during the 1850 Gold Rush and were soon making fine wines. It is possible J. W. Osborne may have made the first wine from Zinfandel in California. He planted Zinfandel at his Oak Knoll vineyard just north of Napa, and his wine was much praised in 1857. Planting of Zinfandel boomed soon after, and by the end of the 19th century it was the most widespread variety in California.

Prohibition all but killed Zinfandel and many vines were ripped out. The grape was subject to rot when transported long distances and was replaced with Alicante Bouschet for the home market.  In 1972 Bob Trinchero of Sutter Home Winery used the saignee technique to remove some of the first run juice to intensify his Deaver vineyard Zinfandel in Amador County. The dry, white juice was made into a Rose-style wine but generated little interest. That is until a stuck fermentation in 1975 produced a sweet runoff juice, which caught on and white Zinfandel now sells at six times the rate of red Zinfandel.

Whence cometh the grape

Currently both Zinfandel and the Primitivo clone grow well in many part of California. The earlier-ripening Primitivo is also gaining fans. Castoro Cellars in Paso Robles quadrupled their Primitivo holdings alongside their highly-rated Zinfandel. Currently Zinfandel is the third most planted grape after Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The brix level determines the fruit flavors and ABV.

Zinfandel styles:

• White Zinfandel – no skin contact after crush, varying residual sugar
• Zinfandel Rose – minimal skin contact, finished dry
• Zinfandel Red – Normal extraction, dry, balanced, 13.5 to 14.5 % ABV
• Zinfandel Claret – Done like a Bordeaux claret, Grgich Hills and Milagro Vineyards
• Zinfandel Big – Jammy, heavy extraction, ripe or overripe grapes 15.0 to 17% ABV
• Late Harvest Zinfandel – Overripe grapes, residual sugar, under 15% Tobin James Liquid Love

California Zinfandel AVAs

• Central Valley has heavy production, but used for jug wine, blends and white Zinfandel.
• Sierra Foothills: Amador has a reputation for big, full-bodied Zinfandel. These extra-ripe wines have been called jammy, briary, and brambly, having aromas of sweet berries.
  • Within Amador County lies the Shenandoah Valley where Barbera, Sangiovese and Zinfandel reign supreme and home to the state’s oldest Zinfandel vines.
• Sierra Foothills: El Dorado one of the oldest wine-producing areas has 64 wineries and is located between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe at elevations of 1200 to 3500 feet. The region is warm and sunny, and El Dorado red wines are typically ripe and full-bodied.
• Santa Cruz Mountains AVA produces Zinfandel from just 9 acres that are known for their complexity and depth.
• Sonoma county has Zinfandel-plantings second only to the Central Valley.
  • Dry Creek Valley is known for its juicy Zinfandel with bright fruit, balanced acidity and notes of blackberry, anise and pepper.
  • Alexander Valley is the warmest region for Zin and home to Sin Zin of Alexander Valley Vineyards an iconic Zinfandel
  • Sonoma Valley around the town of Sonoma can be earthy and complex; Kenwood and Ravenswood. The Kenwood Jack London Zinfandel is one of my faves.
  • Russian River Valley does have a warm area where Zinfandel, often with intense Boysenberry is favored. There are a number of old vines making spicy, moderate alcohol wines.
• Paso Robles AVA with its hot days and cool maritime evenings and a long growing season produces Zinfandel known for being soft and round, but also big and jammy.
• Napa Valley AVA produces Zinfandel wines described as plum-like and intense, tasting of red berry fruits with cedar and vanilla. Some Zinfandel in Napa tends to be made in a claret style like red Bordeaux. Mike Grgich, a Croatian, helped popularize this style. The Napa mountain subregions are generally more complex.
• Mendocino County Zinfandel wines are not as well known as than their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir counterparts, but offer rich fruit, high tannins and higher alcohol. Below Anderson Valley the Mendocino Ridge is the only non-contiguous AVA in America with only peaks above 1200 feet included. Like a series of islands above the fog bank this region is known for exceptional Zinfandel planted since the 1850s. The region covers more than a quarter-million acres of mountainous land, but just 75 acres of the entire viticultural area are planted, many since the late 1800s on these ridge-top vineyards.
• Lake County Although each area within Lake County has unique viticultural attributes, all are influenced by Clear Lake, the largest inland body of water in the state of California. The moderating influence of the lake results in a climate with less variation in temperature than surrounding areas and with the majority of the vineyards planted above 1,500 feet, this creates a higher and drier growing environment that reduces the threat of mildew and pests. Red volcanic soils can be found on the hillsides below Mount Konocti, while alluvial benches on the valley floor provide well-drained beds for the vines.
• Lodi has some of the oldest Zinfandel vines in California. While often used for White Zinfandel production, in the red style, Lodi Zinfandels have a reputation for being juicy and approachable. Michael David reserve Zinfandel is superb: Rapture, Lust, Rage, Sloth and Gluttony are about sixty bills, but you can knock off 5 of the seven deadly sins with them.

Paso Robles wine region

In the 1980s my wife and began sampling wines from Paso Robles on the Central Coast. The Paso Robles Wine Festival began in 1983 with 17 wineries sharing their craft in the warmth of the beautiful and bucolic Paso Robles Downtown City Park. That was also the first year we went there. That festival grew quickly as more and more wineries came into existence.

One of our most fun explorations was the out-of-the-way Caparone Winery. Founded in 1979, Caparone is a place to visit for red wines in Paso Robles. Pioneers of Sangiovese and Aglianico in the U.S., Caparone has also grown Nebbiolo since 1980. The unfined and unfiltered, intensely elegant big reds have established a cult-like following over the years. I lost count how many barrel samples we tried.

We loved the area so much we eventually purchased a home in the seaside town of Cambria. We have watched Paso Robles grow from a small community of less than 20 wineries to over 200 now. Where once it was a single AVA with districts we were well-versed in, it now boasts 11 AVAs under those same names. This is how sub-AVAs are created. An area has unique characteristics that ultimately define the character of the wines. Locals know these areas and word of mouth spreads. Eventually the local winery association, and there always is one, submits details to the TTB (Tax & Trade Bureau) and a new AV comes into being.

Paso Robles History

• 1882: The Rancho Paso de Robles Mexican land grant was purchased by James and Daniel Blackburn and their partner Drury James, thus naming the town El Paso de Robles
• 1889: Indiana rancher Andrew York established Ascension Winery, known today as York Mountain Winery, planting some of the region’s earliest Zinfandel vines
• 1922: Famous Polish concert pianist Ignace Paderewski planted Petite Sirah and Zinfandel on his Rancho San Ignacio vineyard in the Adelaida area
• 1923: Frank Pesenti planted Zinfandel on his property; winery not bonded until 1934
• 1925: The Dusi family purchased land to plant a vineyard; now known as the Benito Dusi Vineyard, these old head-pruned Zinfandel vines are still in production

Late 1960s/early 1970s

• Stanley Hoffman, under the guidance of U.C. Davis and legendary enologist André Tchelistcheff, one of the first Masters of Wine (MW) in California and celebrated vineyard consultant Jack Foote, planted some of the region’s first Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay on his 1,200-acre ranch
• 1970s: Hoffman Mountain Ranch Winery was the first large-scale modern facility in the area
• 1973 – 1977: Gary Eberle and Cliff Giacobine planted 700 acres, including the first modern commercial acreage of Syrah in the state and established Estrella River Winery, the largest winery in the area (purchased in 1988 by Nestle/Beringer)
• 1983: The 556,765-acre Paso Robles AVA was established
• Paso Robles Wine Country named Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s 2013 Wine Region of the Year
• 2014: TTB approved 11 districts within the Paso Robles AVA

Map courtesy of Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance

Paso Robles sub-AVAs and top wineries

Many of these wineries established the standards for fine wines. Tablas Creek pioneered in growing Rhone varietals in Paso Robles as well as providing quality cuttings to other area wineries. Justin Vineyards & Winery’s Isosceles is one of California’s highest rated wines. Castoro Cellars pioneered the planting of Primitivo vines. Turley produces some of the highest rated Zinfandel in the state.

• Adelaida District: Adelaida, Justin Vineyards & Winery, Tablas Creek
• Creston District: Gelfand
• El Pomar District: Sarzotti, Victor Hugo
• Paso Robles Estrella District: J. Lohr, Le Vigne
• Paso Robles Geneseo District: Eberle,
• Paso Robles Highlands
• Paso Robles Willow Creek: District: Sextant, Dark Star, Tooth & Nail
• San Juan Creek: Tobin James, Bianchi
• San Miguel District: Caparone Winery
• Santa Margarita Ranch
• Templeton Gap District: Peachy Canyon, Castoro Cellars, Turley, Tin City
• York Mountain: Epoch (formerly York Mtn Winery), Jack Creek

Paso Robles grapes

Overall, Paso Robles Wine Country encompasses more than 40,000 vineyard acres within the 614,000 total acres that make up the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area.

The most widely planted varieties in the Paso Robles appellation are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Chardonnay. The “Other Red” category is where varieties such as Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot, and many others are grouped. Cabernet Sauvignon represents almost 40% of the total and Zinfandel about 8%, but this is where I go to get wonderful Zins.

The 38^th Paso Robles Wine Festival was in late May this year. Wish I could have gone. However, the Paso Robles Harvest Festival is still ahead on October 14 to 17. There are many music concerts, wine dinners, special wine tastings and a chance to stomp grapes. I know you’re all eager to try that squishy fun.

What we are tasting; Hall Ranch 2019 Paso Robles Zinfandel, 15.5 ABV, $19.99 at Total Wines

From the website: Featuring sustainably-grown fruit from the historic Hall Ranch vineyards in Paso Robles, Hall Ranch wines are inspired by the rich cowboy culture, pioneering spirit, and agricultural roots that continue to permeate the people, wines, and way of life in Paso. Today, the Paso Robles region is heralded for its world-class grapevines – and the vineyards of Hall Ranch are no exception. Planted in the early 1990s by the Hall family, Hall Ranch is home to 150 acres planted to vine and more than two decades of award-winning wines.

I later went back to Total Wines and found a 2018 vintage under all the 2019s and grabbed it so I can see how it compares with the 2019. The 2018 received a 95 point wine score so I was lucky to find it.

Analysis

Since we only had one wine to try this is my take on it. First it was a classic Paso Robles Zinfandel with good fruit and well-integrated alcohol; a bit on the jammy side but not over the top. Tannins were already getting lush although I’d hold for 1 or 2 years and it will be even better. As good a barbecue wine as you’ll find at this price point for beef, lamb or pork roasts. I could not locate a tasting room for Hall Ranch if you are planning to tour Paso Robles, but there might be some available to taste at the harvest festival in October. If not you’ll have to content yourself with the other 199 winery choices.