“A toast to the things for which there are no substitutes: good friends… happy days… and… victory.” – Perry Mason

Raymond Burr!! Years have passed since we had the pleasure of offering one of their wines.

But this morning we raise a glass (coffee, obv!) to friends, happy days, and to VICTORY! Man, we’re pumped about the triumphant return of this fabulous Zin. The price, the quality, the good people behind it - all deserving of a hearty toast.

Don’t know about you, but we get all jittery without a great Zin around here, in what, more than a couple of weeks??! Well, that had to end. And make that a Dry Creek with Hollywood appeal!

Some OG Wine Spies Ops will remember the name. It was one of our most popular producers back in the day. Yes, this winery is named after the famed actor Raymond Burr you may remember - the original Perry Mason - a small boutique winery in Healdsburg owned by Raymond, and Robert Benevides. The partners started it in 1989 but Burr passed away before the first vintage was released in 1993. At that point, Robert decided to name the winery after him. Today the name is the same, but owners Sherie & Don Johnson lead on. And the wines are better than ever.

These estate vineyards neighbor other conspicuous growers such as Preston and Bella, rich in gnarly old vines dating back to the early 80s, planted by John Pedroncelli. Decades later, production remains minuscule, with just a few hundred cases of each wine per harvest.

Medium to deep garnet colored, with glimmering highlights. Warm red and black fruits swell from the glass. It’s ripe and round on the palate but not overly jammy. Aromas of blueberries, black raspberries, kirsch, licorice, and pepper are followed by a full-bodied, opulent, smooth palate with a heady presence. The finish brings more savory and peppery accents, with a lingering tannic austerity through extracted dark berries. This is a serious – and seriously good – take on Zin, begging for Journeyman charcuterie, mmm…

While this completely under-the-radar winery gets zero press, Wine Spectator defines this prized region and its style accurately as “Dry Creek Valley is one of the prized spots for growing Zinfandel in California. The Zins from this Sonoma County region are typically vibrant and elegant, with accents of raspberry and pepper…” which is spot on.

Don’t miss this ‘blast from the past’ beauty!