Robert Biale - Zinfandel 'First Grade' 2019 (750ml)

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Price: $119.95

In Mixed Case: $107.96

Producer	Robert Biale
Country	USA
Region	California
Subregion	Napa
Varietal	Zinfandel
Vintage	2019
Sku	82335
Size	750ml

Robert Biale Description

Vintage

A long, warm summer and mild finish to the season, the beginning of 2019 was defined by copious rainfall and late soil moisture. There were few extreme heatwaves in the summer with foggy mornings that set the stage for creating vibrant and expressive wines. The long, mild finish to the season preserved the freshness and finesse of the fruit to allow abundant hang time to tease out great color, structure, and soft tannins. The volume was about average to a little less than average. Overall, the season produced exceptional fruit quality with bright acidity and ample texture to an amazing vintage.

Ageability

This wine is pleasurable now and age-worthy for up to 5-7 years.

Winemaking

At harvest, the fruit is hand-picked and sorted to ensure that only the best fruit makes it into the fermenter. The grapes are crushed and gravity fed into open-top tanks. The must is cold soaked for 2 to 4 days at 50°F and then inoculated with commercial yeast strains. For color and tannin extraction, we perform 2 to 3 punch downs per day. Fermentation is typically completed after 15 days at a maximum of 86°F. At dryness, we lightly press and store the wine into 100% Burgundy oak barrels (50% new), where malolactic fermentation is completed. The wine is then aged for up to sixteen months.

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes

The 2019 First Grade wine is our third release of this special winemaker’s cuvee. It is a highly focused wine that is crafted specially and uniquely for each vintage. The base blend stood out from the beginning at fermentation and was culled from three Oak Knoll District Biale estate vineyard blocks of Zinfandel. The final blend was finished with Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Carignane, and Early Burgundy. The wine is aged 16 months in 100% French oak Burgundy barrels (50% new). Aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry preserves, violets, fig, vanilla wafer, cinnamon, and dried flowers. Balance and refinement are achieved with a burst of Zinfandel essence and vineyard expression. Made for the ages, this wine is expected to cellar for 10 years or more.

Additional Notes

Cream of the crop tops if it's class! Winemaker, Tres Goetting, carefully selects the top clusters from the vineyards at the winery along with a selection from Aldo’s Vineyard and the Stagecoach Vineyard®. This is the third vintage of the First Grade Reserve Zinfandel and it has proven itself to push Zinfandel to new heights with a wine of power, balance, and refinement.

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