As the name suggests, Pick and Shovel vines sit on a rock bed atop the Saracina wine caves where the roots dig and scratch below the surface. The vines are the DuPratt clone on St. George rootstock.
The grapes were picked on Oct. 16, 2018, de-stemmed, with 75% whole berries and gently crushed into an open top fermenter. The free-run juice was drained directly into thin stave French oak, 20% of which were new. Native malolactic fermentation, followed by 19 months aging. Bottling took place on July 31, 2020.
Fantastically concentrated and showing off an inky-dark color, the 2018 “Pick and Shovel” Zinfandel is long on intense black raspberry and black plum fruit character, with sweet spice and earthy mineral notes framing its lingering finish. The palate is balanced and supple with a layered richness and enough firm tannins to ensure even more sophistication in years to come. Perfect with meaty barbecue classics like ribs, beef kebabs, or juicy smash burgers.
