ENTHUSIAST OF ALL

The last time we visited Northern California wine country was two years ago, when we celebrated our daughter’s third birthday in Livermore before heading north to our usual home base in Healdsburg. At the time, the Zinfandel grapes of the 2022 vintage had been mostly harvested, the promise of a second consecutive year of nearly perfect weather conditions following the 2020 wildfires still awaiting its eventual journey into the bottle. Truth be told, the combination of the 2021 and 2022 vintages of Zinfandel is arguably the greatest in the history of the varietal, and as such, we focused our efforts upon searching out the very best offerings available in the region. As you will see below, the great diversity of appellations showcased in my final rankings demonstrates the broad quality as well as the unique terroirs specific to this oft-underrated (and still, remarkably affordable) grape that calls California its home.

Given the quality of these recent vintages, it was a no-brainer to return to Healdsburg (now five-year-old daughter in tow) to seek out the best Zinfandels available, but it has also been far too long since we visited Napa, so on the way north and while in the area we made time for some Cabernet Sauvignon tastings that did not disappoint. Spending a day in Forestville and Russian River Valley, we came across some solid Pinot Noir and Chardonnay options as well.

We visited two wineries a day over our seven day trip centered around Labor Day weekend, a relaxing pace that allowed us to spend nearly two hours at each of the chosen estates enjoying the wines and sweeping views that they offered. As always, the wineries chosen for our visits consisted of a mix of old favorites and exciting up and comers. Our always enchanting tasting with Andy included a walk beyond the creek at the remarkably special grounds at Limerick Lane and was a highlight once again, while perennial standouts like the inviting garden grounds of Seghesio and focused farmhouse tasting in downtown Sonoma at field blend producing superstar Bedrock pulled out all the stops as usual. In light of the unfortunate recent closing at Sbragia, the exceptional views of the Dry Creek vines at Wilson have moved into the slot as a top scenic stop, especially as their wines continue to improve for consistently impressive values. It was too hot to taste outside on our final day at Mauritson, but we received friendly and generous service there across an impressive portfolio of wines and a personalized tasting menu. Hartford Family insists on pouring its Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs to start its tasting but happily complied with my request to focus more strictly on Zinfandel, pouring the entire gamut of their impressive 2022s while accommodating us on a hot day to the best of their ability.

In Napa, Robert Biale has taken its game to the next level, as the anti-Cabernet producer has found new heights with its Zinfandel, as the 2022s shine brightly. The outdoor tasting on the valley floor offers unparalleled views and the service is second to none; this one now merits must-visit status . The members only tasting at Cakebread courtesy of our dear friends in the area provided a relaxing extra perk of solid Cabernets, while the family-friendly atmosphere at Laird, where the blends excel, was a great no-frills start to our trip. Off of the Silverado Trail, Pine Ridge was equally inviting, greeting our daughter with apple juice and a coloring book as we were poured side by side tastings of their single vineyard Cabernets with ever-escalating price tags. These types of experiences are becoming extremely limited in Napa these days.

Of the first time stops, there were two that absolutely blew us away. BACA Wines, the new project from the Hall family, is an absolute gem of a find on every level. The tasting takes place outside on a comfortable couch overlooking the vineyards, where tasters are offered a “choose your own adventure” format tailored to their potential preferences that contain options from all of the BACA, Hall and WALT wines. Our host Tristan, who is an accomplished grape farmer and grower in his own right that sells his fruit to some highly recognizable names, was happy to pour us some wines that we were interested in off menu, including the incomparable Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon. We could have gladly sat here all day after enjoying our $25 weekday tasting (almost impossible to believe given the overall quality), visiting with him and sipping bottle after bottle (and likely will next time around). The new-ish La Crema tasting room location at Saralee’s Vineyard tucked back off of River Road is a sight to behold and most certainly worth a visit. My wife attained a deep sense of peace via the energy of this historic property, a giant barn built in the early 1900s. The single vineyard Pinot Noirs poured here by our warm and gracious host were second to none on the trip.

The misses were few and far between, but if I were to be forced to relay some constructive criticism, the experience at Dry Creek Vineyard seemed a bit off track, and not for a lack of trying by our extremely congenial tasting host. The smoke taint resulting from the wildfires of 2020 caused many of the vintners around the region to abandon their crop from that year entirely, a tragic reality of a difficult and risky business. Dry Creek did not have this issue with their fruit and was able to bottle the entirety of their 2020 portfolio, which is great news for them. The problem is that they have bizarrely decided to pour these less than stellar wines from a hard vintage in their tasting room while the rest of the area is all pouring the standout 2021s and 2022s. Quite simply, it is a misguided juxtaposition that puts the winery in a tough spot competitively, especially while suddenly charging $50 for a tasting. From what I can tell, there are no 2021s even offered for sale yet by Dry Creek Vineyard, let alone any 2022s. It’s a strange misstep and a peculiar overall strategy from an inviting place that has been a perennial stop for us, but lingered as a bit of an outlier on this particular trip.

Over the course of the week, I tasted and scored just short of 100 wines, ranging from 87-96 in score and from $20-$225 in retail price. With so much outstanding quality this time around, the wines were difficult to separate, but I did my very best, complete with late night head-to-head taste offs on the hotel balcony and firepit area. Here they are organized by varietal, sorted in descending order by score, with ties broken by retail price to reward value.

ZINFANDEL AND BLENDS:

1. Bedrock Old Hill Ranch Heritage Sonoma Valley 2022, 96 Points, $65- Impossibly complex and detailed, with broad and generous blackberry and dark plum flavors that are draped in massive layers of intense, indescribable amounts of cracked pepper and briary spice. This picks up a blast of mocha as it lingers long with thick, chewy, awesome tannins. A monstrous, confident wine with an endless finish.
2. BACA Zinfandel Cat’s Cradle Rockpile 2022, 95 Points, $50- Absolutely electric, dancing on the palate with mouth-coating brown sugar elements that weave through intense blackberry, licorice and spiced dark plum notes. Lingers endlessly, this is glorious.
3. Bedrock Evangelho Heritage Contra Costa Country 2022, 95 Points, $50- Ultra-silky on the palate, with elegant and focused red plum, black cherry and blueberry fruit that gain complexity from white pepper spice notes. Luscious and detailed through the long finish, with grilled anise and crackling briar adding endless complexity. Lighter bodied and elegant, in the feminine style, showing a ton of dimension.
4. Mauritson Zinfandel Grower’s Reserve Dry Creek Valley 2022, 95 Points, $60- Mouth-coating blackberry fruit gains complexity from powdery mocha, cedary pine and cracked pepper spice, lingering endlessly with chewy stems and tannins. As expressive as it gets, a super exciting offering.
5. Robert Biale Zinfandel Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley 2022, 95 Points, $70- Elegant and polished, with lovely black cherry and red licorice aromas. This is all about texture, with a silky body of cherry, raspberry and licorice that carry over briary earth and white pepper spice through the long finish. A knockout Zin, with an echo of graphite mineral as it lingers, pointing towards firm tannins.
6. Mauritson Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2021, 94 Points, $45- This is plump and plummy, with raspberry pie crust and silky blackberry flavors above white pepper spice, cinnamon and clove nuances. A great example of what Dry Creek Zinfandel should be.
7. Seghesio Zinfandel Cortina Dry Creek Valley 2022, 94 Points, $50- Toasty aromas, with a lush and detailed body of blackberry, dark plum and licorice that builds tension into a blast of briary spice, creamy mocha, cracked pepper and gravelly mineral that is complex and distinct. Lingers long with a pleasantly savory earthiness.
8. Seghesio Zinfandel Cortina Dry Creek Valley 2021, 94 Points, $50- Balances richness with elegance in a style all its own, as intense briary spice up front embraces layers of blackberry, blueberry and dark raspberry fruit that linger with smoke, cracked pepper, savory herbs and creamy mocha influences. This lingers long with polish and finesse. Impeccable; Great to have this one back after the 2020 vintage was tossed.
9. Robert Biale Zinfandel Black Chicken 2022, 94 Points, $55- Explosion of fruit on the nose, with blackberry and blueberry above briary spices. Vibrant and generous, with a lush mouthfeel of weightless black fruit that evolves into well-defined layers of toasty mocha and crackling briar underneath. This lingers long on an exotic, peppery spice note.
10. Limerick Lane Zinfandel Squatter’s Hill 2021, 94 Points, $56- A refined and polished offering that shows off briary raspberry and melted licorice flavors that explode into cracked pepper, smokey tobacco and crackling briar through the long finish.
11. Seghesio Zinfandel Rockpile 2022, 94 Points, $60- Big, rich nose of dark and jammy berry fruit that offers a ton of smoked meat aroma. Masculine and powerful, with ripe blackberry and dark raspberry fruit that evolves into tobacco, smoke, toast, cinnamon and savory pepper notes that linger long.
12. Bedrock Heritage Bedrock Vineyard Sonoma Valley 2022, 94 Points, $65- A big, burly field blend that showcases thick blackberry and dark plum accented by intense briary spices, cracked pepper and licorice root that keep pumping through the long finish, while chewy tannins add grip. A bruiser that should cruise in the cellar.
13. BACA Zinfandel Home Base Dry Creek Valley 2021, 93 Points, $40- This has tons of Dry Creek character, with dark raspberry and black cherry fruit flavors that are rich and packed with herbaceous briar patch, cracked pepper and roasted anise notes. Refined tannins add a textural element that keeps the fruit pumping through the long finish. Lovely stuff.
14. Bedrock Zinfandel Beeson Ranch Dry Creek Valley 2022, 93 Points, $55- Juicy body of briary raspberry and black cherry fruit is ripe and forward but supplemented by white pepper spice and an intensely refined blast of crackling briar. Firm tannins clamp down a bit through the long finish.
15. Robert Biale Zinfandel Old Kraft St. Helena 2022, 93 Points, $62- Huge, loamy aromas of black fruit and toasty mocha. Rich and powerful, with intense black cherry cola and blackberry flavors that evolve into layers of chocolate, roasted herbs and crackling briar. A monster.
16. Robert Biale Zinfandel R.W. Moore Coombsville 2022, 93 Points, $65- Big, fruity aromas of dark berries and blueberry pie. Shows impressive energy and drive, with a pure core of perfumey dark raspberry cobbler and mulberry fruit above well-balanced white pepper spice, roasted herbs, briar and licorice. Keeps pumping with baking spice, brown sugar and fennel nuances through the long finish. An elegantly styled Zin.
17. Limerick Lane Zinfandel Rocky Knoll Russian River Valley 2021, 93 Points, $65- Enticing aromas of smokey dark berry fruit. Intense and detailed on the palate, with mouthwatering dark raspberry and black cherry fruit that picks up accents of cracked pepper, roasted anise and crushed stone. Pure and generous delivery of fruit, which keeps pumping beyond the well-intertwined earthy elements. Refined and polished, with dark red fruits lingering through the finish.
18. Seghesio Zinfandel Home Ranch Alexander Valley 2021, 93 Points, $65- Thick, chewy and intense, loaded and packed with blackberry pie, licorice and black plum flavors that show sturdy undertones of brown sugar, baking spice and mocha. This lingers long with peppery spice and a firm tannic grip.
19. Limerick Lane Zinfandel Marquis Sonoma County 2021, 93 Points, $72– Perfumey blackberry and blueberry fruit coat the palate over a velvety texture, gaining complexity from subtle chocolate powder notes. Incredibly polished, lacking a bit in the pepper and spice department, but packed with fruit through the long finish. Relies upon elegance.
20. Seghesio Zinfandel Montafi Vineyard Russian River Valley 2021, 93 Points, $75- Silky body of blueberry and dark plum flavors lead into briar patch, cedar and roasted herb accents. Polished and elegant for its overall depth. Firm, tannic grip shows black pepper lingering through the long finish.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND BLENDS

1. Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall Napa Valley 2019, 95 Points, $225- Huge, expressive nose of cedar and eucalyptus hover above cassis aromas. Lush and velvety over a full-bodied mouthfeel of black currant, mint, forest floor and creamy mocha that mingle in perfect harmony. Texture is essentially perfect, with mouthcoating blackberry and dark plum fruit that is rich and seductive while polished and finessed. This lingers with cigar box and anise root nuances through the long finish.
2. Laird Jillian’s Blend Napa Valley 2018, 93 Points, $58- Rustic aromas of dark red currant fruit. Balanced and not overripe, with dark raspberry, black cherry and plum flavors that quickly give way to smoke, wet slate and savory spice notes. A chalky minerality keeps driving through the long finish, accented by a distinct note of licorice root. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Malbec.
3. Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon Vaca Napa Valley 2019, 93 Points, $110- Big and bold, with powdery mocha, black olive and black currant aromas. Powerful but restrained, with earth-driven cedar, tobacco and roasted coffee draping its crushed blackberry and plum paste flavors. A hint of bitter chocolate creeps into the long, polished finish.
4. Pine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley 2021, 93 Points, $125- Dark berry aromas with some cedar and graphite elements. Lush and terroir driven, with dark raspberry fruit embracing wet cedar and limestone nuances, with echoes of tobacco and cracked pepper lingering through the long finish.
5. Laird Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2021, 92 Points, $75- Textbook profile, with black currant and perfumey cassis aromas above forest floor nuances. Velvety mouthfeel of sour black cherry, blackberry puree and dark plum cascade into cedar, charred oak and understated tar elements. Firm tannins add grip through the long finish.

PINOT NOIR

1. La Crema Pinot Noir Sealift Sonoma Coast 2021, 93 Points, $65- Polished and elegant, with fleshy mulberry, red plum and crushed dark berry flavors that showcase licorice and sweet spice flavors underneath. This is a knockout Pinot, with baking spices lingering long beyond the fruit.
2. La Crema Pinot Noir Fog Veil Russian River Valley 2021, 92 Points, $65- Evolves steadily on the palate with its black cherry and wild raspberry core, leading into grippy undertones of white chocolate, cinged cedar and loamy mushroom, lingering long with a hint of clovey spice.
3. La Crema Pinot Noir Nine Barrel Russian River Valley 2022, 92 Points, $100- Dark berry fruit is embraced by dusty mocha on the nose. Full-bodied and velvety on the palate, with perfumey dark plum and blackberry fruit flavors that pick up melted licorice and violet through the long finish.
4. La Crema Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 2021, 91 Points, $50- Shows bright red cherry and wild berry fruit above lightly intertwined wet stone minerality and dusty tobacco leaf, lingering with orange peel and savory spice nuances through the long finish.
5. Hartford Court Pinot Noir Far Coast Sonoma Coast 2022, 91 Points, $70- Smoky and fleshy throughout, with zesty, savory wild raspberry flavors that pump with clove, baking spice and allspice through the long finish.

WHITES

1. La Crema Chardonnay Kelli Ann Russian River Valley 2021, 91 Points, $55– Creamy and balanced, with poached pear, peach and green apple citrus flavors that hover above accents of hazelnut spice and almond. This carries a creamy caramel vibe throughout the long finish.
2. Hartford Court Chardonnay Three Jacks Green Valley of Russian River Valley 2022, 91 Points, $70– Creamy and viscous, with expressive green apple notes that pick up floral undertones and well-integrated oak nuances. Well-balanced and pleasing through the long finish, as acidity keeps pumping alongside the slightly tart fruit components.
3. Wilson Summertime White Mendocino Country 2022, 90 Points, $25- Juicy and refreshing, with poached pear and floral peach notes carrying over a backbone of vibrant acidity. A quintessential poolside white, with a straightforward delivery. Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier.
4. Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Ranch Carneros 2021, 90 Points, $30- Citrus-driven, with floral melon and nectarine flavors that pick up a mineral tinge through the finish, which deepens into an underbelly of toasty vanilla bean. Floral orange blossom spice keeps pumping; leans towards the Burgundian style as lively acidity carries through the finish.
5. Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc Viewfinder Napa Valley 2023, 90 Points, $50- Intense aromas of tropical fruit. Super refreshing, with mouthwatering pineapple, kiwi and guava flavors that burst with acidity, balanced by a fresh mineral backbone and subtle grassy notes. Smooth and streamlined through the long finish.