2016 Estate Zinfandel - Akash Vineyard & Winery

Cranberry liqueur, spring chaparral, dehydrated strawberry. Dried mango slice, desiccated rose, homemade boysenberry pie. Fresh dill and juniper berry, toasted coconut and vanilla bean. Sweet dried cherries, baked peach, and blueberry reduction form a ripe and fruit-focused yet well balanced core overlayed with exotic wafts of incense and fragrant potpourri. Green briar, fennel, and bramble swiftly emerge imparting complicating herbal and natural tones softened by warm cinnamon, dried orange peel, and the noticeable presence of oak. Twangs of petrichor and asphalt writhe within the sizeable yet sincere attack as the subtle warmth of parched earth leaves a lasting impression on the finish. Tart, dry, and impressively fresh on the palate for a wine of its magnitude; full bodied with moderate tannin and acidity. This 2016 Estate Zinfandel By Akash Winery is a serious and terroir expressive red from the Temecula Valley.

Located in Riverside County just northeast of San Diego, the Temecula Valley appellation is arguably Southern California's most popular and well-established wine region. As one of California's warmest and driest winegrowing zones ripeness is rarely an issue here and it is the cold air that creeps in from the mountains and the coast that is paramount to holding onto precious acidity. This bottling, crafted by Akash Winery using Zinfandel sourced from their estate vineyard in the heart of Temecula wine country, is an excellent example of the distinct style this region has become so heralded for. Although initially appearing quite ripe and high in alcohol this wine manages to maintain wonderful freshness and lift - skillfully avoiding any impression of jammy over-saturation thanks to an ample dose of balancing acidity. Interesting spiced and herbaceous notes are a major highlight and add a sense of multidimensionality that is so essential in great Zinfandel. This is a tremendously well executed offering by one of Temecula's most exciting new producers.