2021 Hartford Court - Zinfandel Highwire (750ml)

Hartford Family Winery was founded in 1993 by Don and Jennifer Hartford, whose appreciation for the people and vineyards surrounding their Russian River Valley home led them to start making wine of their own. The winery has since built a reputation across Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and old-vine Zinfandel, sourcing much of its fruit from small, historic sites tended by the same farming families for generations.

Highwire Vineyard is over a century old and takes its name from its unusual trellising, half the vines are head-trained in the traditional style, while the other half grow along a high wire strung between plants, a method the previous owners, Lloyd and Dee Chelli, developed to improve sun exposure and encourage even ripening. Hartford purchased the vineyard from the Chellis in 2018, though the couple still lives on the property and looks after the old vines. The two sections are harvested and vinified separately, and rigorous sorting removes underripe berries and raisins to keep the wine's fruit character fresh and precise.

The 2021 vintage shows blackberry, candied raspberry, and forest herbs on the nose, with a medium to full body and a bright, linear spine of acidity. Fine tannins support notes of fresh peach and dusty soil through a long finish. It pairs well with smoked brisket, roasted turkey, or a rustic tomato ragù.