2022 Marietta Cellars - Zinfandel North Coast Roman (750ml)

Marietta Cellars was founded in 1978 by Sonoma native Chris Bilbro, whose family had three generations of winemaking roots, on the radical idea of affordable red blends built from mixed vineyard lots. The winery's Old Vine Red, first made in 1982 and predominantly Zinfandel, essentially created the modern California red blend category. Today Chris's sons Jake and Scot run the estate, which farms more than 400 acres organically across Alexander Valley, McDowell Valley, and Yorkville Highlands.

This bottling honors Román Cisneros, Marietta's first and longest serving employee, who has worked at the winery for more than three decades and remains its cellarmaster. The wine draws on fruit from the historic Angeli Ranch in Alexander Valley, first planted to vines in 1886, along with the estate's McDowell Valley vineyard, a site tucked into a natural cold sink that helps preserve acidity. The blend combines Zinfandel with small portions of Barbera and Petite Sirah, undergoing a cool fermentation meant to protect delicate aromatics before resting a full year in neutral barrels.

The wine offers a generous nose of blackberry compote, wild blueberry, and cracked black pepper, with fresh thyme and subtle hints of vanilla and cedar from the oak. On the palate it is plush and expansive, showing ripe brambly fruit and baking spice balanced by bright acidity and a light tannic grip. It pairs beautifully with wood fired pizza, grilled sausages, or smoky barbecue.