2022 Saracina - Zinfandel Mendocino County (750ml)

Saracina Vineyards farms a 400-acre ranch in the rugged hills of northern California, near the Upper Russian River and the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. Founded in 2001, the estate has been guided by the Taub family since 2018, who pursued a full organic conversion alongside careful soil analysis and water conservation. The California Certified Sustainable property is also home to century-old olive trees, beehives, and grazing goats, with winemaker Alex MacGregor at the helm.

This bottling blends 96 percent Zinfandel with a small addition of Petite Sirah from the Niemi vineyard, sourced from five head-pruned sites across the Ukiah and Redwood Valleys. The 2022 growing season brought average rainfall and modest yields, with harvest running from late September into early October. Grapes were hand-picked and destemmed before fermentation, then aged in French oak barrels, fifteen percent of them new, completing native malolactic fermentation before bottling without fining or filtration.

The wine opens with black raspberry and black plum layered over sweet soil, baking spice, and stony minerality. The palate is balanced and supple, with a layered richness and enough structure to age gracefully over the next several years. Pour it alongside grilled lamb chops, peppered steak, or aged cheddar with dried fruit for a rustic match.