Approaching this wine with a firm—and in this case, unfortunate—preconceived notion of what a Zinfandel dominant wine typically tastes like, I was immediately surprised. Aromatic, linear, and marked by a structural elegance I've rarely attributed to the varietal, this wine defied expectations. Notes of dark fruit, earth, pepper, and perhaps a touch of fennel rise from the glass, followed by a rounded palate lifted by fresh acidity. The finish reveals sweeter red fruit and hints of apricot. Ultimately, this wine seems to embody the spirit of domestic winemaking—irreverent in its varietal composition (where else would you find Trousseau and Tempranillo in the same blend?), yet deeply respectful of tradition. It simultaneously pushes boundaries while paying a literal and figurative homage to its roots.

The nose is incredibly effusive and lush, there's a whole bouquet of flowers here and some savory components in the background, but also this really dense and intoxicating core of inky black fruits. Violets, lavender, and some old dried rose petals swim around in the fruit, along with a dusting of cocoa and some freshly roasted tobacco. The palate is powerful and almost thick, not in texture but in just the density of flavor. The tannins are strong and gripping but also very round weirdly pleasant despite their presence. While it has the acid and the pedigree to lay down and get some acid, I just really want to tear into some barbeque or other roasted beast with my bare hands while I drink this from some sort of chalice or goblet. It just inspires me to be a little bit of a beast myself just to match its energy. While I say all of that, I have to also highlight that this is a wine called Heritage because of the just incredible history of this vineyard that was planted between 1854 and 1888. There are 27 different varieties of wine in this bottle, though it is mostly Zinfandel. There's just so much here, from the history to the winemaking pedigree that makes this wine a pure and beautiful representation of everything that's currently right about California winemaking.