2013 Trespass Zinfandel

Hailing from vines planted on the Luvisi Vineyard early last century, this lovely and focused Zin is one of Napa Valley’s earliest plantings that I know of and certainly the oldest that I source.

Typical to the Luvisi Veneyard’s gnarly old vines are aromatics of sweet black fruit, plum, crushed herbs white pepper and camp embers. The palate has a wonderful, full a voluptuous entry and shows further deep, dark fruit flavors, sweet vanillin and a hint of wet stone minerality. Sip after sip the flavors build and crescendo to a huge finish with length that carries for over a minute.

Zins like these are a surreal joy to architect and create. It’s a humbling feeling and quite the honor to work with a vine that has managed to stay alive for over 100 years and few of us as winemakers have this opportunity in the face to replant Napa Valley to more popular Bordeaux varietals. With proper aging, this wine will live to see 2030 and beyond.

Kirk Venge

• 225 cases produced
• 100% Zinfandel – 108-year-old vineyard
• Harvested September 14, 2013
• Aged 18 months in French oak barrels
• Bottled unfiltered and unfined