2023 • Post Flirtation Red 2023

Post Flirtation Red 2023

Varietal:

62% Zinfandel, 38% Carignan

Alcohol:

12.5%

Vinification Notes:

Zinfandel (100% destemmed) and Carignan (95% whole cluster, 5% destemmed) hand-harvested and fermented separately. A mixture of punchdowns and pumpovers were used to gently extract tannin and each lot was pressed prior to dryness. Aged in a combination of stainless steel and neutral oak barrique for 6 months before blending with a small percentage of reserve Carignan from 2021, which aged in neutral oak barrique for 28 months. Unfined. Unfiltered. Sediment expected.

Vineyard:

Zinfandel from Del Barba Vineyard, Oakley, Contra Costa County; dry farmed (non-irrigated) vineyard; pure sandy soils (like walking on a beach).

Carignan from Ricetti Vineyard, Redwood Valley, Mendocino County; planted in 1948; dry-farmed (non-irrigated), certified organic vineyard; gravelly loam soils.

Reserve Carignan (2021) from Venturi Vineyard, Calpella, Mendocino County; dry farmed (non-irrigated), certified organic vineyard; Pinole gravelly loam soils.

Martha's Notes

This wine is so joyous, and to me, distinctly Californian. I never knew how much I loved Zinfandel until I started working as Chris Brockway’s (Broc Cellars) Assistant Winemaker. When picked before the grape berries begin to shrivel, you get amazing hibiscus, rhubarb, pomegranate, and baking spices from Zin. Like an avocado, the window is small between unripe and overripe for Zin, and I watch our Zinfandel vineyards closely. Carignan, Zin’s less celebrated companion, provides a savory component reminiscent of driving through California chaparral and can be incredibly complex with 75 years of vine age. I’m not re-inventing the wheel with this classic old vine Zin/Carignan blend, just lightening things up a bit.