Seghesio Family Vineyards DRY CREEK VALLEY Cortina Zinfandel California

The Old Vine Zinfandel is deliciously dark-fruited and savoury-spiced. Deep ruby in colour, this wine combines spicy, lush black fruit from Alexander Valley with cooler Dry Creek Valley fruit that offers structure and Zinfandel’s classic briary and raspberry flavours. Full-bodied dark berry fruits are supported by silky oak tannins, layers of concentrated flavours and a long, spicy finish. In 1895, Edoardo Seghesio planted his first vineyard in America to Zinfandel. Today, four generations of grape growers later, half of the Seghesio family's 400 acres of vineyard are planted with Zinfandel. While the American government controls most wine labelling, they have no classification for "Old Vines." The Seghesio family’s benchmark is 60 years old and older, while the average age of the vines used for the ‘Old Vines’ Zinfandel is 90 years old. (12 x 75 cl)

The Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel is made from grapes from many lots, each one is farmed to produce fruit that possesses rich varietal character, ripe tannins and balance. The wine exhibits ripe, dark fruit qualities, with an inviting Sonoma briary/spicy varietal character, juicy richness and balance. Committed to continually improving wine quality, Seghesio have sealed this wine under stelvin for the first time. This ensures cork taint is eliminated, oxidation minimised and that the wine is as intended. (6 x 75 cl)

Tantalizing aromas of ripe fruits reveals dark cherry, raspberry and boysenberry. Similar explosive flavors are extravagantly synergized with Alexander Valley's savory, briery, spiciness and black pepper nuance. A full-bodied and silky textured elixir. Big elegance! (6 x 75 cl)

The fruit comes from the Keyhole Ranch in Russian River Valley and is 75% fermented in stainless steel vat, and 25% in barrel in seasoned French oak with the lees stirred to add depth and complexity. Floral and spicy aromas give way to ripe apple and stone fruit flavours. Texture is amplified by the employment of partial barrel and malolactic fermentation, creating a depth and roundness of palate. The Seghesio Story begins in 1886 when Edoardo Seghesio departed his family's vineyards in Piedmonte, Italy for a new life in America. Like so many immigrants, he was drawn to Northern Sonoma County and the Italian Swiss Colony, to follow his passion for winemaking. The "colony," as it was known, hired immigrants for three year stints, providing room and board and then, a lump sum at the end of those three years enabling employees to buy land or set up a business in their new home. Soon, Edoardo rose through the ranks to winemaker. Yet, he yearned for home. The Colony's manager repeatedly encouraged him to stay and finally, it was his niece and the opportunity to purchase land that convinced Edoardo to remain. That young girl, Angela Vasconi and Edoardo were married in 1893. In 1895, they purchased a modest home in northern Alexander Valley, less for the home than the surrounding 56 acres Edoardo recognized as ideal vineyard land. They planted the "Home Ranch" that year to what has become the family's lifeline (12 x 75 cl)

Dry Creek Vineyard was the first new winery to be established in the Dry Creek Valley since the days of Prohibition, when David Stare arrived in 1972. Today, Dry Creek Vineyard wines are easy to recognise due to the spirited yacht paintings that appear on the label of each bottle. David Stare's pioneering vision launched a new era of premium wine production in the Dry Creek Valley. Inspired by his travels throughout the traditional wine regions of France and Germany, Dave's focus was ever on quality. To persue this focus, small batch winemaking has been adopted because individual-lot winemaking promotes increased knowledge about how to manage each vineyard while offering maximum blending options and enhanced quality control. Dry Creek Vineyard insists on crafting each lot of wine separately with each vineyard lot crushed, fermented, and barrel aged separately. Approximately 75-100 different wines are produced each vintage, where fining is the exception, not the rule. Zinfandel Heritage Clone is the product of experimentation with budwood from a pre-Prohibition era vineyard. The result is a rustic, traditional style of Zinfandel, with ripe berry aromas and flavours bolstered by earthy, dusty notes. It is well structured with a balanced vanilla oak finish. (12 x 75 cl)

The 2004 Somers Ranch Zinfandel displays a wonderful harmony of flavours and intensity not often found in 15-year-old vines. The bouquet of this wine explodes with opulent black cherry, plum, and black pepper. On the palate, rich flavours of dark cherry, (12 x 75 cl)

The grapes were sourced from the Keyhole Ranch in Russian River Valley and Cortina Ranch in Dry Creek Valley. Here 75% of the wine is fermented in stainless steel vat, and 25% in barrel in seasoned French oak with the lees stirred to add depth and complexity to produce a wine of great character. This varitals floral and spicy aromas give way to ripe apple and stone fruit flavours. Texture is amplified by the employment of partial barrel and malolactic fermentation, creating a depth and roundness of palate. Dr. Phil Freese, the vineyard consultant, first suggested the suitability of particular vineyards to growing Pinot Grigio. The cooler regions of Sonoma County, principally the Dry Creek and Russian River Valley vineyards, are ideal for this varietal. Here, the well-drained soils and foggy mornings of marine influenced vineyards forge the perfect partnership between land and vine. These climates allow the slow maturation of fruit to fully express varietal character while retaining natural acidity. The Russian River Valley is also home to some of the world's great Pinot Noir (12 x 75 cl)

Dry Creek Vineyard was the first new winery to be established in the Dry Creek Valley since the days of Prohibition, when David Stare arrived in 1972. Today, Dry Creek Vineyard wines are easy to recognise due to the spirited yacht paintings that appear on the label of each bottle. David Stare's pioneering vision launched a new era of premium wine production in the Dry Creek Valley. Inspired by his travels throughout the traditional wine regions of France and Germany, Dave's focus was ever on quality. To persue this focus, small batch winemaking has been adopted because individual-lot winemaking promotes increased knowledge about how to manage each vineyard while offering maximum blending options and enhanced quality control. Dry Creek Vineyard insists on crafting each lot of wine separately with each vineyard lot crushed, fermented, and barrel aged separately. Approximately 75-100 different wines are produced each vintage, where fining is the exception, not the rule. This Zinfandel, with a little Petite Sirah, is aged 18 months in American and French oak, is a dark red colour with an enticing bouquet of blueberry, ripe cherry and creamy mocha. On the palate, sweet flavours mingle with juicy berry fruits; crisp acidity with citrus and cedar spiking the finish. (12 x 75 cl)

Cooler vineyard temperatures preserve zinfandel's juicy acidity and allowed for the grape tannins to mature on the vine while infusing scents of cracked black pepper and heightening zin's briary, spicy essence. Fine, ripe tannins add a velvety richness seldom found in Zinfandel, while the elegant richness, broad mouth feel and a lingering minerality elicit typicity that indicate superior grape growing. Savory purity of fruit with both aromas and flavours of blueberry and cherry abound. Fruit for this wine came from four estate vineyards: San Lorenzo, Home Ranch, Lone Oak and River Road in Alexander Valley and Cortina in Dry Creek Valley. Once in the winery the results of vinification and 12 months in oak; of which 75% was American and 25% French; is a good colour and soft, ripe tannins. The Seghesio Story begins in 1886 when Edoardo Seghesio departed his family's vineyards in Piedmonte, Italy for a new life in America. Like so many immigrants, he was drawn to Northern Sonoma County and the Italian Swiss Colony, to follow his passion for winemaking. The "colony," as it was known, hired immigrants for three year stints, providing room and board and then, a lump sum at the end of those three years enabling employees to buy land or set up a business in their new home. Soon, Edoardo rose through the ranks to winemaker. Yet, he yearned for home. The Colony's manager repeatedly encouraged him to stay and finally, it was his niece and the opportunity to purchase land that convinced Edoardo to remain. That young girl, Angela Vasconi and Edoardo were married in 1893. In 1895, they purchased a modest home in northern Alexander Valley, less for the home than the surrounding 56 acres Edoardo recognized as ideal vineyard land. They planted the "Home Ranch" that year to what has become the family's lifeline (12 x 75 cl)