Zinfandel

ERGGELET · Contra Costa County, CA, USA

Contra Costa is located in the East Bay of the San Fransisco Bay Area. The quality soils of this region is a defining feature. This Zinfandel is farmed with minimal intervention by the 5th Generation of the Del Barba Family. Deep and free-draining sandy soils offer little resistance to wandering root systems, and the lack of water in the ground means that the vines produce small, concentrated berries with thick skins.

Concentrated aromas of blood orange, mixed berries, licorice wood, peat and pine nuts, red plum, pluot, prune, lilac, mint, pomegranate. This is a fruit forward wine, with firm tannins and excellent structure.

Farming
Organic practices 

Harvest Method
Hand harvest

Varietal
100% Zinfandel

Age of Vineyard
Planted around 1983 - head trained , planted on Freedom rootstock 

Vessel
Fermented in a stainless steel open top fermenters

Elevage in neutral Bordeaux barrels

Vineyard Yield
4 ton / acre

Soil Type
Delhi sand

Annual Production
672 bottles

Vinification
Fermented in stainless steel fermenters for between 17 and 21 days. It was barreled down into neutral Bordeaux barrels and aged on full lees for 18 months subsequently. During this time it was racked once and a single dose of sulfur was added. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered. No additional sulfur was added at bottling.