🎼Kaaaaaaaaarma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon ♬ You come and gooooo, you come and gooooohohoh… ♪

You caught us SINGING in ecstasy on an otherwise uneventful Thursday. Karma has come in the form of a 95-POINT Carol Shelton Zinfandel for under $30!!

We’ve rolled out their Cab before, but Zinfandel is what she’s most known for. And this is a triumphant first that will surely come and go quickly - fair warning!

Aaaand, there it is. Arguably the greatest Zin value you’ll come across this year, maybe ever. Now if the 95 Points Editors’ Choice does not confirm that, we don’t know what will.

You may recall the Bastoni Vineyard as one of Sonoma County’s hidden old vine Zin secrets within the recently throned Fountaingrove District due east of Russian River Valley and south of Knights Valley. The fruit, highly prized for its intensity, supplies the power behind similarly styled Zin from MIRO and Joseph Swan. And this “dramatically deep and expressive” example from Carol.

If you’re unfamiliar with the legacy of Carol Shelton, here’s a must-watch ZAP panel on the “Queen of Zinfandel” along with fellow luminaries Joel Peterson, Larry Turley, and Kent Rosenblum:

We really don’t have the space here to list all her accolades. And surely not enough of this wine to waste more time. But know this - she’s a true legend. A few noteworthy ones include The André Tchelistcheff Award in 1993, Winemaker of the Year by Press Democrat in 1999, San Francisco Chronicle in 2005, and NorthBay biz in 2022 and 2023.

“A winemaker since 1978…” expounds Wine Industry Advisor “…Shelton is well known in the industry as a maker of world-class single-vineyard Zinfandels…”

World-class hits the mark here. Rowdy and rambunctious in style, it’s colored ruby, with awesome notes of cassis, violets, blueberries, sandalwood, spice box, and earth. It hits the palate with incredible power and richness, yet is always weightless and seamless, with beautifully silky tannins. Truly a magical Zin that belongs in your daily rotation of summer grilling reds.

Good Karma indeed… and for the slightly bad karma bit, you could miss out if you’re not fast. Very, very little of this one and it’s sure to sell out in hours!

95 Points, Editors’ Choice – Wine Enthusiast

“Dramatically deep and expressive, this full-bodied and moderately tannic wine overflows with blackberries, blueberries, cloves and mint on a silky, juicy texture that belies the wine’s power. Adding to its fruitiness and soft tannins are 12% Alicante Bouschet and 3% Petite Sirah.”