Description

ABOUT THE PRODUCER:
Owner Fred Peterson is an iconoclast with an old-world winemaking philosophy and a devotion to sustainable farming. With decades of expertise, from 1985 to 1990, Fred was the Vineyard Manager of the legendary Ridge Vineyards. The Peterson approach is to capture the essence of vintage and vineyard, a philosophy they call ‘Zero Manipulation’, with low tech, yet high touch winemaking techniques to produce artisanal wines of a place: wines with soul. Based in the Dry Creek Valley in northern Sonoma County, Peterson Winery was established in 1987. Fred’s son Jamie became assistant winemaker in the summer of 2002 and by 2006, Jamie was given the overall responsibility of winemaker. As a team, Fred and Jamie meticulously assess the grapes from each vineyard and vintage, evaluating how the weather, soil and site are interacting for the particular vintage. The duo pour their heart and soul into every bottle, producing beautifully balanced wines which truly reflect the time and the place.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
The grapes are ‘Estate Grown’ from the Bradford Mountain Estate vineyard. Overlooking the western edge of Dry Creek Valley, the vineyard spans six and a half hectares on the very top of the 385-metre peak that Fred cleared and planted in the 1980s. The well-drained, red-clay soil, combined with sunny days and cool nights, produces small, intensely flavoured grapes. This wine encapsulates all of the best qualities found in mountain grown Zinfandels from the Dry Creek Valley appellation: the poorer soils and cooler nights harness and preserve more of the bright acidity and freshness in the grapes. More sunlight hours at the higher elevation means thicker skinned fruit which translates as darker, richer fruit. The key characteristics of mountaingrown Zinfandel is that it has a peppery quality and more intense black fruit characters. The vines are head-trained, spur pruned and dry farmed. They are cultivated sustainably, the only treatment used is sulphur dusting, and the fruit is hand-harvested.

THE WINEMAKING PROCESS:
The gentlest winemaking techniques were employed to maximise flavours, aromas and the original essence of the grapes from the given vineyard and vintage. Fermentation took place with inoculated yeasts and punch-downs and rackings to help the wine develop. The wine was then barrel-aged for 25 months in 20% new French oak barrels, 20% new Hungarian oak barrels and 60% neutral barrels of four to eight years’ passage.

OUR TASTING NOTES:
Mountain-grown Zinfandel, with tempting notes of opulent dark berries, spicy black pepper and a rich mineral essence, underpinned by beautifully integrated oak nuances through to a long, elegant finish.

GRAPE VARIETY:
Zinfandel 84%, Carignan 8%, Petite Sirah 8%.