Our Vine Starr Zinfandel has been lauded by drinkers and critics alike as a multi-dimensional restrained Zinfandel that re-imagines what you come to expect from the California varietal.
Tasting Notes: Volcanic, rhubarb, cranberry, black tea
VARIETAL: Zinfandel
VINEYARD: Arrowhead Mountain + Buck Hill Vineyard
LOCATION: Sonoma Valley + Fountain Grove
ALCOHOL: 12.5%
TOTAL PRODUCTION: 595 cases
Our inspiration for Vine Starr comes from where the Beaujolais and Northern Rhone meet. The wine has evolved from our first vintage in 2006 when it was a red blend of Zinfandel and Syrah. In 2009, we were fortunate to source from both Arrowhead and Buck Hill Vineyards in Sonoma County which allowed Vine Starr to be 100% Zinfandel. A number of vintages have contained an even 50/50 split of grapes from both vineyards, and other past vintages have had more Buck Hill than Arrowhead or vis versa. The goal each year with Vine Starr is to make the best Zinfandel from our barrels of the two vineyards. This year’s blend consists of 51% Arrowhead and 49% Buck Hill.
We always harvest early to highlight acidity and fresh fruit. For the 2021 grapes from both vineyards, we destemmed the fruit and allowed native fermentation to occur in 5-ton stainless steel tanks. After pressing we aged the wine for 10 months in neutral French oak barrels. This wine is left unfined and unfiltered and contains no added sulfur during its life or at bottling. The result is a delightful, uplifted version of Zinfandel you are sure to enjoy.
Viticultural Area
Both vineyards are farmed organic and have volcanic soil which makes them special. Arrowhead Mountain Vineyard has red volcanic rock and its vines were planted in 1997 on a steep 50 degree sloped rocky hillside making it one of the most unique and mesmerizing vineyards in Northern California. Preparing the vineyard to be planted was very difficult and took several years. Machetes were used to reach the top of the mountain, brush was cleared and tons of large rocks were re-located. There was tremendous effort to keep what little dirt was on the hills to plant the vines. The 5 acre vineyard is located just above the town of Sonoma and was planted by the same owners who farm it today – Bob and Ruth Elster.
Buck Hill is a small 3.5 acre vineyard growing only Zinfandel with some table grape vines lining the top hillside. Randy Apel farms and owns the vineyard in a somewhat newly recognized AVA (approved in 2015) within Sonoma County called Fountaingrove District. The small area is inland from the Pacific at the eastern edge of Sonoma County with Sonoma Valley to the south and Russian River to the west. Buck Hill’s soil is what makes this vineyard special - it is a mix of volcanic soil and volcanic white ash as a result of Mount Saint Helena’s eruption 3 million years ago. The vineyard’s climate is also unique, with the gap in the Sonoma Mountains at the City of Santa Rosa allowing for maritime influence, keeping the alcohol low. Another interesting fact about Fountaingrove AVA is the story of Fountaingrove Winery which was established in 1882, run by Japanese winemaker Kanaye Nagasawa. He eventually became the largest winemaker in California and is referred to as the “Wine King of California”.
At Broc Cellars, all of our wines are made using spontaneous fermentation, a process that means we only use native yeasts and bacteria that exist on the grapes in order to make wine. We don’t add anything – this includes nutrients, yeast, bacteria, enzymes, tannins or other popular fermentation agents. Sulphur is a naturally occurring element in all wine, the amount found can vary. We add little to no S02, depending on the wine and style.
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