Ironstone Reserve Old Vine Zinfandel 2020
Overview
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Rich and supple, this generous Zinfandel is a blend of two Old Vine Zinfandel vineyards. It offers plush aromas and flavors of berry compote, strawberries, blueberries, white pepper and chocolate, finishing with well-rounded tannins. |
Wine Facts
VITICULTURE: Twisted, gnarly, head-trained Zinfandel vines, aged between 60-80 years produced magnificent grape clusters used in this wine. Lodi, with its classic Mediterranean climate and well-drained soils has been an ideal growing region for world class Zinfandels for over a century. The vineyards selected for this Old Vine Zinfandel are a mixture of very sandy and sandy loam, ideal for intense flavored grapes.
VINIFICATION: Our grapes are hand-harvested and delivered to the winery in small lots. These small lots of perfectly ripened fruit are gently crushed and allowed to cold soak for a day or two before starting fermentation. After pressing and secondary fermentation is completed, the wine is transferred to small oak barrels and aged for 12 months to finish malolactic fermentation. Aging takes place in our underground caverns that were hand-blasted by local miners, many whose families came for gold in the 1800’s. These caverns remain a natural 60 degrees Fahrenheit year-round to ensure a fuller, richer, finer wine of true varietal character.
FAMILY: In 1926, the Kautz family began farming in the Lodi region and in 1958, John Kautz Farms was founded. In 1988, John and his wife Gail, along with their children, Stephen, Kurt, Joan and Jack, built a state-of-the-art winery and entertainment facility in the town of Murphys, the heart of the Gold Rush era, producing their first vintage in 1989. They followed this purchase with Bear Creek, one of the oldest continuously running wineries in Lodi, in 1997. Their vineyard holdings grew exponentially over the next 30 years, to 7,000 acres in both the Sierra Foothills and Lodi. Ironstone’s location in Calaveras County, affectionately known as the “Queen of the Sierras,” boasts mineral-rich, volcanic terroir, ideal for growing the wide range of varieties that run the gamut, from Chenin Blanc to Zinfandel..
VINIFICATION: Our grapes are hand-harvested and delivered to the winery in small lots. These small lots of perfectly ripened fruit are gently crushed and allowed to cold soak for a day or two before starting fermentation. After pressing and secondary fermentation is completed, the wine is transferred to small oak barrels and aged for 12 months to finish malolactic fermentation. Aging takes place in our underground caverns that were hand-blasted by local miners, many whose families came for gold in the 1800’s. These caverns remain a natural 60 degrees Fahrenheit year-round to ensure a fuller, richer, finer wine of true varietal character.
FAMILY: In 1926, the Kautz family began farming in the Lodi region and in 1958, John Kautz Farms was founded. In 1988, John and his wife Gail, along with their children, Stephen, Kurt, Joan and Jack, built a state-of-the-art winery and entertainment facility in the town of Murphys, the heart of the Gold Rush era, producing their first vintage in 1989. They followed this purchase with Bear Creek, one of the oldest continuously running wineries in Lodi, in 1997. Their vineyard holdings grew exponentially over the next 30 years, to 7,000 acres in both the Sierra Foothills and Lodi. Ironstone’s location in Calaveras County, affectionately known as the “Queen of the Sierras,” boasts mineral-rich, volcanic terroir, ideal for growing the wide range of varieties that run the gamut, from Chenin Blanc to Zinfandel..
Producer: Ironstone Vineyards
Region: Mokelumne River, Lodi, California
Country: United States
Wine Composition: 86% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah
Alcohol: 15.0%
Total Acidity: 6.6 G/L
Residual Sugar: 3.4 G/L
pH: 3.75
Region: Mokelumne River, Lodi, California
Country: United States
Wine Composition: 86% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah
Alcohol: 15.0%
Total Acidity: 6.6 G/L
Residual Sugar: 3.4 G/L
pH: 3.75
Press Highlights
2019: 90 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Feb 2022
2013: 90 Pts - 'Editor's Choice' - Wine Enthusiast, Feb 2016
2012: 90 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Feb 2015
2012: 'Bronze Medal' - California Zinfandel Championship Awards 2014
2010: 'Gold Medal' - Calaveras County Wine Competition, May 2013
2010: 'Bronze Medal' - San Francisco International Wine Competition, July 2013
2010: 91 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Sept 2014
2010: 88 Pts - Robert Whitley’s Critic’s Challenge, Oct 2014
2010: 88 Pts - 'Critics Gold' Robert Whitley’s Critic’s Challenge, Aug 2014
Ironstone Vineyards 2012 Grower of the Year, John Kautz Family, CA Association of Wine Grape Growers, Jan 2012
Ironstone Vineyards, 2011 Best of Lodi Award, US Commerce Association, Sept 2011
Ironstone Vineyards 2014 Top 25 Most Awesome Tasting Rooms in CA, IntoWine, Michael Cervin, May 2013
2013: 90 Pts - 'Editor's Choice' - Wine Enthusiast, Feb 2016
2012: 90 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Feb 2015
2012: 'Bronze Medal' - California Zinfandel Championship Awards 2014
2010: 'Gold Medal' - Calaveras County Wine Competition, May 2013
2010: 'Bronze Medal' - San Francisco International Wine Competition, July 2013
2010: 91 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Sept 2014
2010: 88 Pts - Robert Whitley’s Critic’s Challenge, Oct 2014
2010: 88 Pts - 'Critics Gold' Robert Whitley’s Critic’s Challenge, Aug 2014
Ironstone Vineyards 2012 Grower of the Year, John Kautz Family, CA Association of Wine Grape Growers, Jan 2012
Ironstone Vineyards, 2011 Best of Lodi Award, US Commerce Association, Sept 2011
Ironstone Vineyards 2014 Top 25 Most Awesome Tasting Rooms in CA, IntoWine, Michael Cervin, May 2013
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