Deep ruby color; raspberry, dark cherry, cranberry, red plum, blackberry, vanilla, mocha, licorice, clove, spice, lavender, on the nose and palate.
Dry; polished, sweet tannins; mild acidity. Smooth, luxurious in the mouth. Blend of 94% zinfandel, 6% petite sirah. Sourced from family-owned vineyards with some vines more than 100 years old. Grapes destemmed and optically sorted. Cold soak before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Basket pressed, then racked into oak barrels for malolactic conversion. Aged 14 months in American oak, 10% new. 15.9% ABV
Zinfandel was introduced to California during the Gold Rush. In the heel of Italy, zin is known as primitivo. DNA indicates it is genetically the same as Croatian grapes crijenak kašelanski and tribidrag. Well, we know it as zinfandel. And we celebrate it as a hedonistic delight.
Koerner Rombauer enjoyed a nearly 30-year career as a pilot. First with the California Air National Guard, then as a commercial pilot. Although Koerner and Joan Ransome attended the same high school in Escondido, California, they did not date until they meet after college. In 1959, they married.
Seeking a small-town, agricultural life, the Rombauers moved to Napa Valley in 1972. They first rented property on Highway 29, then purchased a home atop a knoll on 40 acres in St. Helena in 1974. They got into the wine business as partners in the Conn Creek Winery in 1976, then sold their Conn Creek interest to start their own winery in 1980.
Wanting more experience, Joan joined the sales team at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in 1981. She became national sales director. The inaugural wines for Rombauer Vineyards were bottled at Stag’s Leap in 1982. Later, the Rombauers built a winery larger than their needs to serve as their winery and a custom-crush facility for up-and-coming wineries: Dominus, Duckhorn, Merryvale, Etude, Spottswoode, and other elite makers.
Rombauer wines won accolades from the beginning. Although their first emphasis was cabernet sauvignon, in 1995 their Carneros chardonnay ranked as No. 32 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines list. They now are known as much for their chardonnays as their cabs. In January 2019, they purchased the former Renwood Winery, in part to increase their focus on zinfandel and other red wines. Sauvignon blanc joined the lineup in 2014.
Joan was lost pancreatic cancer in 2002. The family established endowments to support the University of California–San Francisco’s pancreatic research efforts and the Napa Valley Hospice & Adult Day Services. Richie Allen joined the Rombauer team in 2008, rose through the ranks, and is head winemaker today. In 2015, Rombauer Vineyards celebrated its 35th anniversary as a family-owned winery, operated by Koerner and his children, KR and Sheana. In 2016, Reagan Rombauer Blackwood became the third generation to join the team. In 2018, Koerner passed at age 83. Richie Allen is the vice president of viticulture and winemaking. In August, 2023—two years after this wine was made—E. & J. Gallo purchased the operation. The Rombauer leadership and winemaking team remains in place.
Rombauer Vineyards California Zinfandel 2021 is classic, delicious old-vine California zin. Soft tannins and acidity make for a plush, easy drinker. Tasty dark-fruit forward on the palate, inviting softness pairs with 15.9% ABV to make this a dangerous delight. Masterful balance of power and elegance.
Pairing—grilled and braised meats; braised short ribs, pan-roasted rack of lamb, baby back ribs, slow-cooked brisket; barbecue beef, pork, chicken; grilled ribeye. Roast turkey, chicken. Wild game—elk, venison, wild board, wild turkey. Italian dishes, lasagna Bolognese, meat-lover pizza with sausage and peppers, Italian meatballs with tomato sauce, pasta dishes with tomato sauces. Asian cuisine—pork pot stickers, spicy fare. Mexican/Tex Mex food, stands up to complex spices. Cheese—charcuteries board with smoked meats and sharp cheeses; aged cheddar, manchego, aged gouda, parmigiano-reggiano, grana padano; stilton; feta, smoked gouda. $37
