You might know them for their world-famous Clif Bar, but now you’ll know them for their wine (if you don’t already). Founding husband and wife team, Kit Crawford and Gary Erickson, take everything they do seriously and this Howell Mountain Napa Zin is proof. In fact, this Zin was beloved enough to be named after Gary himself.

Beatty Ranch Vineyard is a historic vineyard which has been in operation since the 1920s - Clif Family says that the particular block that this Zin was made from contains vines that were over 100 years old at the time of the 2017 vintage. That’s some truly old vine Zinfandel. What happens when the vines reach that level of maturity is that they are less productive, producing fewer, smaller clusters - all of the vine’s energy is poured into crafting the remaining berries, resulting in powerfully flavorful grapes. That’s why Zins like this are explosive on the palate. So, what does this wine taste like? Read on:

The color in the glass is a deep red surrounded by a thin lip of light garnet. The aroma is overflowing with juicy notes of fresh blackberries, rhubarb, red plum, and boysenberry with an intriguing hint of sandalwood. After you take a sip, your palate is greeted with delightful bursts of mixed berries. They’re all here: blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, and cherry, colliding and melding with an allspice undercurrent. Just what you’re looking for in a big Zinfandel: Huge fruit-forward flavor, backed by ample yet approachable tannin, guide your tastebuds through a delicious experience all the way to the finish. This wine would stack up to a hearty meat dish with more complexity, such as lamb kabobs seasoned with a blend of Turkish spices.

A mountain Zin like this, grown at elevations above 2000 feet, are hard to come by. For under $30 (and 40% off!) this is a steal and should delight any Zinfandel enthusiast.