Today’s wine is a slam dunk, dear Operative! Today’s Zinfandelic 2016 Mendocino Zinfandel is a budget-minded Zin from our new friend, winemaker Danny LeFrancois. Danny’s decades in the wine trade have given him access to unique, sought-after vineyards like the [REDACTED] Vineyard, where today’s exceptional Zin was born.

We’ve been sworn to secrecy on the location of the vineyard from which today’s wine hails, but we assure you, you’d be very pleasantly surprised to know the delicious truth.

This inky Zinfandel is a deep black with only a thin ring of garnet around the outer edge. The nose unfolds with fresh juicy notes of perfectly-ripe blackberries, violets, peach, lychee, and redwood. On the palate, the spice kicks in with cedar, vanilla, and holiday spices with fruit components such as dusty bramble, plum compote, and preserved black cherry. True to its name, this wine is a trip into the world of Zinfandel, with huge fruit, medium-body, pleasant tannin backbone, and approachable nature. Fire up the grill and through a kabob or two on there laden with shrimp, bell pepper, mushroom, and thick asparagus drizzled in EVOO.

The Mendocino AVA (American Viticultural Area), located along the Russian River and highway 101 north of Sonoma County is where the grapes for this delicious Zinfandel were grown. The Mendocino AVA is centered between Hopland and Ukiah in the southern third of the county and is heavily influenced by the climate which is regulated by the mountain ridges that surround the upper Russian River. The deep alluvial and gravelly loam soils also contribute to the flavor profile of the grapes grown in the region. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel are the primary grapes grown here.

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Here’s what the wine press has to say.

91 Points - Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast - “This big but plush wine is deep in color, rich in blackberry aromas and saturated with ripe jammy flavors that spread across the palate and cling to the sides of the mouth. It is full bodied, very concentrated and has a ripeness that leaves a fruity sensation on the finish.”

Beverage Tasting Institute - “Bright black violet color. Aromas and flavors of grilled berries, polished furniture, patent leather, green bell pepper, and green peppercorn with a chewy, vibrant, dryish medium-to-full body and an intriguing, medium-length dried mint finish with harsh tannins and moderate oak. A big, zesty Zinfandel; give this one some time to open up.”