Zepaltas Wines

We set out in 2008 to make a wine that we could offer you at a great price, but still represent the quality and character that you have come to expect from our cellar here at Zepaltas Wines. Not only is there a bit of pressure to have a wine at a friendly price these days, it is something we wanted to do already. We understand very well that a good bottle of Pinot Noir should not be just a special occasion wine, and that there is a need for a wine that can be somewhat of an everyday wine. Well, we believe that we have created a wine that is truly sensational, but also represents what we are trying to do-food friendly wines that are balanced, layered and possess texture. We started creating this blend by sourcing fruit from the Nunes Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Then after numerous blending trials, we began to toy with a couple barrels of W.E. Bottoms Vineyard and then at the last minute we felt that a touch of the Suacci Vineyard was the final piece to the puzzle.

Immediately, this wine’s aromatics jump out of the glass: black cherry, tobacco, and allspice. The Russian River’s palate is structured and taught, but refreshing and bright. A slight grip of tannin gives the wine presence and fills out the finish. The mouth feel is powerful, and dense, and is a great candidate for those roasted fall dishes. This wine definitely has the framework to age at least 3 years, but is very accessible now.

88 points Wine Spectator
"Loamy earth, herb, sage and ripe plum and black cherry fruit is supple and complex, gaining depth and ending with a mix of mineral and fruit. Drink now through 2015. 270 cases made." –JL