Flavor Profile

The most elegant of the Ravenswood Single Vineyard Designate Zins, the 2015 Dickerson shows aromas of currant and raspberry with a hint of eucalyptus and dried herbs. The mouthfeel has juicy acidity with very fine tannins leading to a long, lingering finish.

The Vineyard

Trees have always been an important part of Dickerson vineyard. The eucalyptus at the north end of the property imparts an inarguable influence on the wine’s flavor, but the tree that meant the most to Bill Dickerson was a 100-year-old oak. The ancient sentinel was a monument to the history of the spot and he had the image emblazoned on his own wine label. When he bought the vineyard in 1971, the old, head-pruned varieties were hardly in demand, but the elegant, focused Zinfandel made from them was so distinctive that Bill never considered replanting. He passed along his passion and knowledge of wine to his daughters, Anne and Julie. Shortly after Bill’s death, a windstorm swept through the valley. The next morning, Anne found the old oak tree that Bill had loved on the ground, toppled amid a riot of branches and foliage, marking the conclusion of an era. And yet, a new era has begun. Anne and Julie are now running the vineyard that meant so much to their father. Ravenswood has been making wine from Dickerson Vineyard since the 1980s.

Location

Dickerson Vineyard, located on Zinfandel Lane on the west side of the Napa Valley, is a small, superlative vineyard with low crop levels. From this enviably situated site, sheltered by the Mayacamas Mountains, comes fruit that produces exceptional, classic Zinfandel.