
2007 J. LOHR ESTATES Old Vines Zinfandel, Paso Robles
VINTAGE
The 2007 vintage proved to be another dry year in Paso Robles – actually, the fourth year out of the last five. These consecutive dry years severely limited vine growth in 2007, and reduced cluster size, berry size, and ultimately yields, by as much as forty percent. The silver lining, of course, is that the reduced berry size made for high extract, intense reds--and none benefited more than Zinfandel. Additionally, as our original planting of Zinfandel in Paso Robles was in decline, we formed relationships with two premier Zinfandel vineyards (both west of Highway 101) planted on very steep slopes, and incorporated them into the 2007 vintage. These intensely flavored grapes, along with dollops of Grenache Noir and Valdiguié, have created J. Lohr’s most delicious Zinfandel to date.
ZINFANDEL
The Zinfandel is grown on two vineyard sites, one called Gravity Hills, just off of Las Tablas-Willow Creek Road, and the other called Giubbini, just south of Highway 46 W, almost due south of Gravity Hills. Varietal expression in Zinfandel is usually characterized by more of the raspberry jam fruit flavors and aromas, and in this vintage, we decided to wait for this to happen. Thinning in the vineyard both at veraison and prior to harvest allowed us to select the best bunches which would mature to give optimal flavor balance.
TECHNICAL DATA
Origin: Gravity Hills and Giubbini Vineyards, Paso Robles AVA
Composition: 75.6% Zinfandel, 14.5% Grenache Noir, 7.6% Valdiguié and 2.3%
Syrah
Brix at Harvest: 27.1° average
Total Acidity: 0.66 g/100 ml
pH at Bottling: 3.64
Alcohol: 14.83% by volume
Residual Sugar: 0.36 g/100 ml
Vinification: Stainless steel fermented at 85-90°F
Malolactic fermentation in barrels
Maturation: 9 months in new and 2nd fill French oak barrels
WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS
The 2007 J. Lohr Estates Old Vines Zinfandel has a very attractive berry red color of moderate depth and youthful hues. The aroma is characterized by Zinfandel’s spicy and jammy red fruits. The raspberry and blackberry are complemented with licorice and black tea spice. The palate has a substantial, plump texture with mid-palate weight and fruitiness making a food friendly wine, but is particularly suited to casual fare such as grilled sausage with red peppers, zesty red-sauced pasta dishes, or even pizza.
Jeff Meier, winemaker
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