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

The Biale family, Italian immigrants who settled just outside the town of Napa, began growing Zinfandel on their farm in 1937. The Black Chicken name traces back to the 1940s, when a teenage Aldo Biale helped support his family by selling homemade Zinfandel to trusted neighbors alongside eggs and produce, using the coded phrase "a black chicken" over the local party line phone system to keep the operation under wraps. The wine has been legally produced since 1999 as a tribute to Aldo and the deep roots Zinfandel holds in Napa Valley history.

The heart of this bottling comes from the Oak Knoll District, including the same family vineyard the Biales have farmed since the 1930s, supplemented by fruit from the estate vineyard surrounding the winery and neighboring growers in the area. Vines here average around forty years old and grow in a breezy, fog influenced pocket of the valley that keeps the fruit fresh even in a warm growing season. The wine is fermented in open top tanks with regular punch downs, then aged fourteen months in Burgundy oak barrels, a modest portion of them new.

This vintage offers juicy raspberry, black cherry, and plum, layered with citrus peel, incense, and cracked black pepper. The palate is medium to full bodied with supple, well integrated tannins and a bright, savory finish. It pairs nicely with grilled sausages, roasted duck, or a sharp aged cheddar.