2023 Peter Franus - Zinfandel Mount Veeder Brandlin Vineyard (750ml)

Peter Franus has worked with Brandlin Vineyard since 1991, building a reputation as one of Napa's most respected voices on old-vine, mountain-grown Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Franus has described the high perch of Brandlin, tucked into the hills of Mount Veeder, in almost spiritual terms, crediting the site's rugged setting and long history for giving the wine a soul that technical skill alone can't replicate. Over more than three decades working this single vineyard, he has developed an intimate understanding of how the site expresses itself differently with each vintage.

Brandlin Vineyard traces back to the early 1920s, when Henry Brandlin and his sons Richard and Chester planted an eastern-facing hillside 1,200 feet above the Napa Valley floor using the old field-blend tradition of interplanting multiple varieties together. Today these are considered the oldest vines on Mount Veeder, still dry-farmed without irrigation after a century of growth. The 2023 Zinfandel reflects that heritage, built primarily from Zinfandel with smaller portions of Mourvèdre, Charbono, and Carignane all harvested and fermented together.

The wine shows floral overtones over chiseled red and purple fruit, layered with crushed rock, white pepper, mint, and orange peel, backed by firm, supportive tannins typical of the appellation. Pair it with braised lamb shank, smoked pork ribs, or a rustic mushroom pasta.