Nose
The nose is full of ripe cherry and blueberry with undertones of toasted hazelnut and vanilla.
Palate
The palate is full of ripe wild berries, spice, and cherry cola, with dusty cocoa and light tannin on the finish. The wine has great structure, and is well balanced.
Growing Conditions
The Pacini Family planted this vineyard circa 1940 on the western foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains in Mendocino County. This beautiful old vineyard is head-pruned as are most Zinfandel vineyards of the era. Steele Wines purchased the vineyard in 1998 from the Pacini Family. Since then we have been refurbishing the vineyard and replacing vines in the positions where the old vines have died. The location of the vineyard prevents us from irrigating or frost protecting due to the limited water supply. This provides for the intense flavors and aromas in this low yielding Zinfandel.
Winemaking
We keep the temperatures on our fermentations moderate to develop the color and flavors inherent in this wine.
Aging
We aged the Pacini Vineyard Zinfandel in American oak barrels for 12 months.
Food Pairing
We recommend you enjoy this wine with BBQ , roast duck, lamb chops, and cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano, aged Gouda or a dry jack.
