2023 Robert Biale - Zinfandel Napa Black Chicken (750ml)

From a Napa Valley legend, the 2023 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel captures a lineage steeped in family history and the expressive character of Oak Knoll District fruit. The Biale family, Italian immigrants who settled just outside Napa in the 1930s, planted a Zinfandel tradition that would become a cornerstone of the valley. The Black Chicken name traces back to the 1940s, when Aldo Biale helped support his family by selling homegrown Zinfandel alongside eggs and produce, communicating discreetly via the local party line with the coded phrase "a black chicken." Legally produced since 1999 as a tribute to Aldo and Napa Valley Zinfandel heritage, this wine embodies place, history, and craft in every bottle.

The heart of this bottling draws from the Oak Knoll District, supplemented by fruit from the estate vineyard and neighboring growers who share the Biale ethos. Vines average around forty years old and thrive in a breezy, fog-influenced pocket of the valley that keeps flavors bright even during warmer growing seasons. Winemaking leans into signature approach: open-top fermentation with regular punch downs, followed by fourteen months in Burgundy oak barrels, a modest portion of them new, to integrate texture without masking the fruit.

Tasting notes

Juicy raspberry, black cherry, and plum lead the aroma and palate, layered with citrus peel, incense, and cracked black pepper. The wine presents a medium- to full-bodied profile, with supple, well-integrated tannins and a bright, savory finish that invites the next sip.

Food pairings

• Grilled sausages
• Roasted duck
• Aged cheddar