Ravenswood’s irrepressible Joel Peterson, a charter member of master Zinmakers, grew up tasting European wines at home.
Ravenswood Zinfandel -One Man's Ode to an American Beauty
By Dick RosanoEven though its roots can be genetically traced to Croatia and perhaps southern Italy, American Zinfandel, or more precisely, California Zinfandel, is a unique wine defined by its notable substance and spicy, robust and richly textured style. And just as the American spirit finds individual expression in its people, Zinfandel develops singular qualities linked to the varying soils and microclimates in which it is grown.
Perhaps no one better understands the wine's range and myriad expressions in California than Ravenswood's Joel Peterson, a charter member of a very small class of Zin masters.
In the mid-1970s, Peterson, a San Francisco Bay-area native, determined that he wanted to make wine and would be content with making nothing less than very good wine. "I grew up tasting European wines at home," Peterson recalls. "My father started the San Francisco Wine Sampling Society. I was allowed to taste and even drink a little as a small boy," he continues, though his father generally made him spit.
First Peterson established his core conditions for growing good fruit: location, controlled crop size, dry farming and an open trellis system. In 1976, he went looking for vineyards that satisfied those parameters. What he found were old zinfandel vines that met his conditions. These heritage vineyards, which ranged in age from 75 to 100 years old, ensured a small crop; dry farming and the goblet pruning system matched Peterson's other criteria. When mulling over their potential, Peterson knew he had found the raw material necessary to make a classic California Zinfandel.
Peterson had studied winemaking under Joseph Swan, whose own Zinfandels revealed the power and elegance of a well-made wine, and helped reestablish this grape variety as an American standard. "It helped that I had tasted a number of older Zinfandels," Peterson notes, referring to his early experiences at his father's frequent tastings as well as later tastings with collectors. "Joe originally produced Zinfandel almost by accident," he continues, noting that his mentor, who really preferred making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, used a small clutch of zinfandel vines as his practice vineyard in the early years. From it, Swan was able to produce remarkable wines with depth and complexity that seemed to retain their youthfulness with no decline during the aging process.
Peterson's early tasting experiences with Zinfandel crafted from old vines convinced him to forsake French varieties and devote his energies instead to zinfandel. "This grape had a quality and character that I demanded for the wines I hoped to make," Peterson says. Sounding almost swooning, he adds, "It's hard to explain how profound tasting young Zinfandel out of a barrel can be; Zinfandel, in process, was a revelation." In an unusual move among winemakers whose calling seemed to be Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, he established the varietal as the centerpiece of his new Sonoma County winery, Ravenswood, which he founded in 1976.
From that point, Peterson began a search for superior zinfandel sites that continues to this day. "The best grapes reflect the character of the vineyard from which they come," he says, repeating an axiom of winegrowing. He believed that Napa and Sonoma would bear the best fruit, and set out to investigate the sub-regions, canvassing both counties and reveling in the broad differences as well as the less obvious idiosyncrasies that marked each vineyard. "Napa tends to be a little warmer than Sonoma and the wines tend to have a more cedary, raspberry character," he observes. "Sonoma, which is home to some of the oldest zinfandel vines in the state, has very distinct sub-regions within it."
In the cool Russian River Valley, Peterson notes that, "The fruit hangs for some time before it is ripe," adding color and density to the finished wine with its core flavors of boysenberry and plum. He adds that Dry Creek Zins have a black cherry, vanilla character, with added richness and spice. He finds that southern Alexander Valley Zins have softer tannins and more berry-like flavors; he regards wines produced from northern Alexander Valley fruit "fairly aromatic with really ripe fruit that sometimes verges on a Port-like character."
And of course those qualities take on more or less intensity depending on where the fruit is specifically grown. As with any variety, there can be broad swings in flavor profiles depending on macro conditions such as proximity to the ocean, height above sea level, latitude and soil type. The effects of a particular vineyard setting and design, such as the slope of the vineyard, angle at which the sun strikes the vineyard, flat or bowl-shaped terracing, and the trellising technique, yield subtler differences.
In general terms, though, Peterson believes that "Zinfandel has a character that is truly Zinfandel varietal flavor; it always tastes like Zinfandel - even when the fruit isn't fully ripe and the sugar is low." By contrast, he says cabernet sauvignon can taste green when underripe, passing through a phase of dark fruit and cassis flavors, and on to less delicate features when the fruit is overripe.
He released his first commercial Zinfandel, a 1976, in 1979. Since the '70s, Peterson has added innumerable Zins to the Ravenswood portfolio and subtracted those that did not meet the uniqueness or quality standards he set for the wines he wants to produce. The current portfolio's mainstays are the workhorse appellation bottlings from the County series, particularly the Sonoma County Old Vine Zinfandel.
Although he's been poking through vineyards for more than three decades now, he never seems to tire of the hunt - in part because his forays have often been rewarded by the discovery of heritage vineyards that had otherwise gone unnoticed or whose fruit was being sold off for generic purposes. The distinctiveness of the grapes he was buying from these special places continues to reward Peterson for his focus on small, individual vineyards in the hills of Sonoma County with the goal of establishing long-term relationships with the growers whose families had farmed a particular site for generations.
Whenever an intriguing old parcel presents itself, Peterson meets with the grower, tastes the fruit and sometimes tastes the wine the grower himself may have made from his crop. The late Frank Teldeschi was one such farmer who sat down under a tree with Peterson one summer day in 1981 and pulled the corks on a handful of Teldeschi's Dry Creek Valley Zinfandels. Four hours later, the two could hardly walk, but Peterson had made a deal to buy Teldeschi's now-legendary grapes. "The Dry Creek benchland is thought to be some of the best Zinfandel-producing territory in Sonoma County," Peterson says, adding, "The warm days and cool marine-influenced, nights, meticulous farming with attention to detail" all contribute to make the Teldeschi fruit outstanding.
Teldeschi's son John farms the site today. "Our friendship with Joel is not driven by any contract, but merely a handshake and a glass of Zinfandel," he smiles. "In the beginning, he came to pick up the fruit in a borrowed, beat up flatbed truck with bins that bore the name of another establishment."
Now the cleverly intertwined trio of ravens adorns most of Peterson's winery vehicles and numerous farmers are contracted for their elite fruit, including: Ricardo Belloni, who heard of Peterson's fascination with old vines and invited him to tour his century-old Russian River ranch; Bill Dickerson, whose eucalyptus-lined zinfandel vineyard yields a wine that stands out among Peterson's single vineyard bottlings; Otto Teller, who rescued a plot of old vines zinfandel from an overgrowth of brush and turned it into a pristinely organic vineyard called Old Hill that produces big, rich, robust wines; and Lynn and Scott Adams, whose 100-plus-year-old vines that compose the Big River Vineyard make soft, plush wines with great individuality and character.
Of the eight single vineyard wines Peterson makes, all hail from Sonoma County except Dickerson, which is planted just south of St. Helena in the Napa Valley and has clay-loam soil and a warm climate. As Zinfandel goes, it is elegant and even somewhat subtle.
But other than a predominantly Sonoma County lineage, and the fact that all are planted on St. George rootstock, it is difficult to generalize about Peterson's wines, which is one of the major reasons he wants to make so many distinct and distinctive Zins. Teldeschi and Big River, the most northern-sited parcels, may have the most in common: They are the only vineyards with much of an elevation - 300 and 500 feet above sea level, respectively - and also have clay-loam soils and warm climates. Comparisons end there, however. Big River is located in the Alexander Valley; the wine it produces is 100 percent Zinfandel, full-bodied, deep and concentrated. Teldeschi is sited in Dry Creek Valley and the wine it yields, a big, powerful offering, includes a bit of petite sirah and carignane fermented separately in small, open-top fermenters.
Old Hill, Barricia (owned in part by California Circuit Court Judge Pat Herron) and Cooke vineyard (known as the bonsai vineyard because the vines are stunted by the harsh growing conditions of the rocky slopes of the Mayacamas range) are clustered together in Sonoma Valley with appreciably similar soil content (volcanic-clay-loam) and a climate described by locals as the Banana Belt of Sonoma Valley. The full-bodied and richly textured wines they produce are the closest in style among all the single vineyard Ravenswood offerings. By contrast, the Belloni Vineyard, planted in sandy clay-loam, lies in the southern part of the Russian River Valley and enjoys cool, foggy days and even cooler nights, which makes for a more elegant Zin.
Monte Rosso is perhaps the most well known of the vineyards sourced by Peterson for his remarkable wines. This plot of land has been farmed by the Martini family of Louis M. Martini Winery for many years and is responsible for some of that estate's greatest wines.
Peterson sold Ravenswood to Constellation Wines in 2001, but he remains in place as its senior winemaker and general manager as well as senior vice president of Franciscan Estates. Lightening his managerial responsibilities has enabled the self-proclaimed Zin-fanatic to spend even more time tracking down the next old vines mother lode. "My dream Zinfandel," Peterson muses, "is really related to the best any particular site and any particular vineyard can give me in any particular year."
Contributing Editor Dick Rosano is a Washington, D.C.-based wine critic and author of Wine Heritage: The Story of Italian American Vintners.
Tasting BAR
The Zinfandels that follow were not tasted blind; the accompanying "word scores" are based on the BuyLine rating system.
Ravenswood, 2002 Old Vine, Lodi - $18: Deep, sensuous bouquet of cigar smoke and black fruit. Peppery flavors of black fruit with medium body, moderate acidity and soft yet vibrant tannins. Score: 87
Ravenswood, 2002 Vintners Blend, California - $12: Earthy, briary scents and core flavors of raspberry and cherry. Soft texture; bright fruit. Score: 86
Ravenswood, 2002 Barricia, Sonoma Valley - $30: Intense black fruit aromas with hints of toast, cinnamon and black pepper. Spicy and richly textured black fruit flavors of raspberry and blackberry accented by allspice and vanilla bean. A long finish. Score: 89 (81% zinfandel, 19% petite sirah; 1,876 cases)
Ravenswood, 2002 Belloni, Russian River Valley - $30: Cranberry, cherry, plum and black currant on the nose. Palate of plum, currant and toasty oak; a spicy, juicy wine. Soft yet obvious tannins lend structure and promise an enduring future. Score: 92 (78% zinfandel blended with petite sirah, alicante bouschet and carignane; 1,298 cases)
Ravenswood, 2002 Big River, Alexander Valley - $30: Cherry, boysenberry and light plum notes mingle with chocolate on the nose. Mellow, smooth flavors of boysenberry, cherry and plum with a pleasant touch of chocolate. Soft tannins, rich textures and long-lasting flavor. Score: 91 (100% zinfandel; 1,474 cases)
Ravenswood, 2002 Cooke, Sonoma Valley - $50: Soft, seductive aromas of red fruit with notes of bay leaf and brown spice. Rich, ebullient fruit focusing on blackberry, black cherry and brown spice with dried herb accents. A rich, highly extracted, pungent wine with loads of flavor. Score: 94 (100% zinfandel; 401 cases)
Ravenswood, 2002 Dickerson, Napa Valley - $30: An opulent bouquet of cherry and blackberry, eucalyptus, mint and black coffee with floral and cedar undertones. Mouth-filling flavors of cherry and raspberry with licorice nuances; notes of chocolate mint cookie and spice grace the close. Score: 93 (100% zinfandel; 1,216 cases)
Ravenswood, 2002 Monte Rosso, Sonoma Valley - $30: Scents of black cherry and raspberry with a whiff of mocha. Black cherry and raspberry flavors show supple notes of spice and chocolate. More tannic than its '02 Ravenswood peers, but well integrated. Score: 89 (100% zinfandel; 3,044 cases)
Ravenswood, 2002 Old Hill, Sonoma Valley - $60: Rich, ripe black fruit nose enhanced with black coffee, smoke and mocha scents. Flavors mimic the nose with a core of blackberry and raspberry accented by black pepper and vanilla. An elegant package presented on a surprisingly light body. Score: 90 (77% zinfandel blended with mataro, carignane, grenache, alicante bouschet, petite sirah and others; 283 cases)
Ravenswood, 2002 Teldeschi, Dry Creek Valley - $30: Rich black fruit aromas embellished with lavish black pepper, dark chocolate, smoke and black coffee notes. Flavors to match with additional blackberry and raspberry dimensions and hints of tar and dark chocolate. Score: 90 (78% zinfandel, 13% petite sirah, 9% carignane; 2,672 cases) - DR
