2018 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel - Nalle Winery

Wild raspberry, cracked black pepper, dried cranberry. Spicy mulberry, young cedar, barely-ripe strawberry. A remarkably intriguing and complex fruit profile led by wild cherry, blueberry, and date playfully radiates with outstanding juiciness and depth while notes of briar and tree bark contribute a range of woody and brambly undertones. Hints of oregano, dill, and tarragon reveal flickers of interesting herbal character bolstered by rugged floral wafts of cactus blossom, bougainvillea, and desert rose. A dusting of paprika and cinnamon enhance the display with a bit of spicy swagger before suggestions of aged leather and dry soil add subtle earthy rusticity. Impressively restrained, bright, and balanced on the palate while still remaining fantastically layered and serious; exhibiting an ageworthy and unabashedly old school presentation that prioritizes peppery and savory nuance over raw concentration or power. Medium bodied with moderate tannin supported by fresh acidity. This 2018 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel by Nalle Winery is a delicious throwback-styled red from Sonoma County.

Located in Sonoma County just north of the Russian River Valley and west of Healdsburg, Dry Creek Valley has earned a reputation as the spiritual home of the Zinfandel grape and boasts an impressively high concentration of historic old-vine vineyards. This bottling, crafted by Nalley Winery using 92% Zinfandel/6% Petite Sirah/2% Carignan sourced from two vineyards within Dry Creek Valley, is an authentic and exciting example of the classic Dry Creek-style. This possesses a spicy berry-led attack brimming with brambly herbs, wild floral tones, peppery spices, and dusty earthiness. Although exceptional in its youth this is ideally structured to age, and will likely continue to drink well for decades. Outstanding.