Peterson Winery Zinfandel, Bradford Mountain 2019

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 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.