2022 Sandlands Zinfandel

HIGHLY ALLOCATED CULT WINE!

100% Zinfandel from the excellent Kirschenmann Vineyard, planted in 1915 on the east side of Lodi’s Mokelumne River AVA. 14 barrels produced. 14.3% alcohol. On the nose, the wine is developing with mostly tart and ripe mixed bramble fruit: blackberries, Marionberries, mulberries, raspberry, ground black pepper, a mix of red and purple flowers, and stony earth. On the palate, the white is dry with medium tannin and high acid. This is a fresh, zippy and utterly classic in the sense that it reminds me of how Zinfandel was made 40 years ago. Tegan Passalacqua has made wine around the world, including at the famed Alain Graillot in the Northern Rhone, and most notably he spent twenty years working his way up to wine-maker/vineyard manager at Turley.