Bottle Notes, Zinfandel

Zinfandel of the Month – 2018 Brown Estate Zinfandel

Zinfandel of the Month is a regular feature on Zinfandel Chronicles. Keep in mind that although the Zinfandel of the Month might be an older bottle, the current vintage will be one you can find at retail or via the mailing list.

The April Zinfandel of the Month is the 2018 Brown Estate Zinfandel.

I chose this Zinfandel as the 2019 was recently released and I’m anxious to get my hands on a few bottles.

In 1980, The Brown Family acquired land in the hills east of Rutherford in the Napa Valley. In 1995 they decided to make wine under their own label. The following year the first vintage of Zinfandel was produced and subsequently they have added Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Petite Sirah to their lineup. First and foremost, Brown Estate is known for their exceptional array of Zinfandels.

Brown Zinfandel is near and dear to me. I’ve had all the Estate Zinfandels from the 1997 vintage forward, and my wife and I served the ’99 Zin at our rehearsal dinner at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn in 2000.

Crimson in color. 14.5% ABV. Gorgeous nose of red and black fruits, anise and pepper. Full bodied with exquisite acidity. Lush and rich with copious bright fruits. Exceptional balance. Black cherry, raspberry liqueur, strawberry and pepper on the palate. The finish is long and seamless. Fantastic Zinfandel that is just starting to show it’s potential. Best over the next 3-5 years.

My rating: 94 points.

Look for the 2019 version of this wine at retail and the winery. Pricing is around $45 per bottle.

It should be noted that the front label of the wine has a #BROWNZIN hastag. The winery was an early adopter of Twitter in their marketing endeavors.

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