We recently visited with Carol and Mitch at their winery in Santa Rosa. Carol makes Zin from grapes sourced throughout the state of California. One of the gems that we tasted was sourced from San Bernardino County while two others hailed from nearby in Sonoma County.
Carol Shelton, Russian River Valley, Robert Rue Vineyard, Wood Road, Karma Zin 2005 This Zin is quite fruity and features lots of black pepper. It is sourced from the Bob and Carlene Rue’s property that was planted as a traditional field blend where the Zin is augmented by 15% other grapes including Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet and Carignane. 15.0% $33 at the winery.
Carol Shelton, Cucamonga Valley, Lopez Vineyard, Monga Zin, Old Vine, Zinfandel 2005 This wine sports a delicious integration of oak and black fruit. Carol travels down south and kicks off the production at South Coast before transporting the wine up to Sonoma County. 14.9% $21 at the winery.
Carol Shelton, Rockpile, Dry Creek Valley, Florence Vineyard, Rocky Reserve, Zinfandel 2005 The flavor profile builds on the Monga, adding depth and richness. 14.8% $33 at the winery.
The beloved winery dogs have authorized the use of their names on the bottles. Each adds a sense of playfulness to the serious juice inside. Call for an appointment to visit their relatively new facility on the north side of Santa Rosa.