2011 Petite Sirah, Estate Bottled, Russian River Valley 750ml 4-Pack

Located just south of the town of Healdsburg, Foppiano Vineyards sits on 160 acres in the acclaimed appellation of the Russian River Valley. Cool morning fog and warm summer days create an ideal microclimate for grape growing. The Foppiano family has been producing world class fruit on this land since its purchase in 1896. Today the vineyard is planted to Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Sauvignon Blanc on the warmer bench lands, and Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on the cooler lower lying land close to the Russian River.

While many winemakers treat Petite Sirah like a Cabernet, Winemaker Natalie West prefers gentle handling of her Estate Petite Sirah and even treats it like a Pinot Noir. Once in the cellar, the grapes are fermented in open top fermenters with punch downs three times a day, followed by gentle pressing. To help control tannins, Natalie uses only 30 percent new oak. While most of the oak is French, she does like a touch of Hungarian oak to add a little sweetness to the finish. After the aging process, the barrels are blended before bottling. tasting notes This inky, dark wine boasts classic Petite Sirah aromas of blueberry and dark chocolate with hints of blackberry and vanilla. On the palate, flavors of black cherry and blueberry are complimented by a touch of caramel. Refined, silky tannins linger on the finish. This rich wine pairs well with braised meats, grilled lamb chops, and hearty aged cheeses.

2012 Pinot Noir, Estate Bottled, Russian River Valley 750ml

2012 offered growing conditions that were as close to perfect as possible and allowed us to produce an outstanding Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Classic Pinot aromas of cherry, rhubarb, and cola follow through to the palate and are balanced with lively acidity and subtle tannins. It is a Pinot that is as ideally suited for quaffing as it is pairing with grilled salmon or a herbed pork tenderloin.

Our Pinot Noir grapes were hand-harvested at night to ensure cool temperatures and to minimize oxidation of the fruit. Winemaker Natalie West used the more gentle method whole berry fermentation and, to maximize fruity aromatics and vibrant color, cold soaked the grapes in 5-ton, open-top fermenters. After gentle pressing, she placed the wine in French Oak barrels where it underwent malolactic fermentation, monthly battonage, and sur lie aging to develop fruitiness and a creamy mouthfeel.

Located just south of the town of Healdsburg, Foppiano Vineyards sits on 160 acres in the acclaimed appellation of the Russian River Valley. Cool morning fog and warm summer days create an ideal microclimate for grape growing. The Foppiano family has been producing world class fruit on this land since its purchase in 1896. Today the vineyard is planted to Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Sauvignon Blanc on the warmer bench lands, and Pinot Noir & Chardonnay on the cooler lower lying land close to the Russian River.

2011 Zinfandel, Estate Bottled, Russian River Valley 750ml

Located just south of the town of Healdsburg, Foppiano Vineyards sits on 160 acres in the acclaimed appellation of the Russian River Valley. Cool morning fog and warm summer days create an ideal microclimate for grape growing. The Foppiano family has been producing world class fruit on this land since its purchase in 1896. Today the vineyard is planted to Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Sauvignon Blanc on the warmer bench lands, and Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on the cooler lower lying land close to the Russian River.

It is always exciting to receive fruit from a new vineyard planting and 2011 was the first vintage off our Estate Zinfandel vineyards! The fruit was harvested at night, then destemmed to open top fermentors. The fruit was kept cold for 4 days to extract the beautiful color and classic Zinfandel flavors, followed by a 14 day fermentation. After pressing the wine was put to barrel, a combination of neutral oak, new French oak, and American oak where the wine was aged for 14 months. Before bottling we carefully blended a small amount of our Petite Sirah to give the wine form these young vines a little more structure without loosing their true Zinfandel character.

Our first Zinfandel delights the senses with flavors of bright cherry, black current, and brambly berry aromas. Berry flavors on the palate are laced with black pepper, baking spice, and vanilla. A classic, medium-bodied Zinfandel that pairs wonderfully with smoked BBQ ribs, an Italian putanesca, or Thanksgiving dinner!