Showing the influence of the breezy and fog-laced Oak Knoll District, the wine offers rich, plush fruit, delicate acidity and a structure defined by well-ripened, fine grained tannins. Layered notes of blackberry preserves, raspberry, violet, cocoa, anise, and cherry wood on the nose. Persistent and full on the palate with flavors of plum, black cherry, baking spices, dried herbs, and pomegranate.
TASTING NOTES:
A classic Napa Valley Zinfandel, this bottling offers savory and earthy aromatics that carry into flavors of dark plum, tobacco and dark chocolate. It’s rich in flavor, well balanced by mouthwatering acidity that refreshes the palate with every sip.
- Wine Enthusiast, 94 pts.
Delicious, harmonious and flavorful Zinfandel. This has notes of plums, spiced cherries, wild berries, herbs and rusks. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins. It has a bright core of berries at the center with a subtle structure. Mellow and poised.
- James Suckling, 93 pts.
Robust yet retaining a sense of refinement, this red offers blackberry, briar patch and white pepper flavors that build tension toward medium-grained tannins.
- Wine Spectator, 93 pts.
Blended from a number of vineyards, including some barrels from single vineyards that get "declassified" into this bottling, the 2022 Zinfandel Black Chicken comes from vines with an average age of 40 years. Raspberries and blackberries mark the nose, accompanied by hints of cracked pepper and ground clove, while the palate is medium to full-bodied, framed by silky tannins and finishing long and softly dusty.
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 91 pts.
