2007 XYZin 10 Year

Ruby red in color with the sheen of a tree-ripe cherry our XYZin 10 promises to the eye what it delivers on the palate. A gracious wine, it opens with an attractive aroma of rose petals, juicy pomegranate, and warm brown sugar. Strawberry, and plum fruit dominate the entry and lead to a plush mid-palate redolent of dark cherries and mulberries complemented by earthy dimensions of sandalwood, fresh bay leaf, and chocolate. The bright fruit and soft texture of this wine will be best enjoyed in the first four years after release while the vivid qualities of our young vines are most apparent. Zinfandel complements a wide range of cuisines and this bottling pairs beautifully with tomato-based sauces and the tangy/savory flavors of Southeast Asia dishes.

XYZin wines explore the relationship of vine age to taste profile. XYZin 10 comes from Zinfandel vines that were at least 10 years of age at the time of harvest. At XYZin we believe that the history of a vineyard is as much a part of the terroir as are climate, soil, clones and the age of its vines. XYZin Vine Age Series wines offer a tabletop exploration of California’s unique Zinfandel heritage.

Minimum Vine Age: 10 years

XYZin 10 wine is styled to reflect the lively, fresh, and youthful flavors of fruit from young vines. In their youth – a phase which is critical for proper development of a root system – Zinfandel vines are generally healthy, virus-free and provided with plenty of water and nutrients to assist their establishment. These grapevines enjoy excellent longevity and many live and produce healthy crops for over 100 years. Naturally the vines, as well as the fruit they produce, evolve and change over time. Thus, XYZin was founded to explore and celebrate the diverse and rewarding stages of Zinfandel vine maturity. The grapes for this wine were sourced from some of our favorite appellations with a focus on Sonoma and Mendocino counties with a few select vineyards from Lake County and Lodi. Each of these regions imparts a distinct character to Zinfandel, yet all are unified by the vivid, juicy, approachable red fruit essence that is indicative of young vines. The 2007 growing season was favorable for Zinfandel as the varietal thrives under diverse and seemingly challenging conditions. The winter provided little rainfall which led to drier soils and consequently an earlier-than-normal bud-break. Overall the season was very mild with a brief heat wave in August and steady temperatures across all our appellations. Yields were lower than typical with some vineyards yielding as much as 20% less crop than anticipated. Predictably these lower yields produced more flavorful fruit. We saw uniform flavor and color development in the vineyards and an exciting interplay of acid and tannins in the fruit. Warm temperatures helped ratchet the sugars up to levels expected of Zinfandel while still managing to preserve the balance of vibrant fruit to structural wine components. With each of our XYZin bottlings we strive to capture the spirit of the vineyards in which the grapes were cultivated.

23,000 cases

Release Date: January 2009