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2007 RELEASES
 2005
Old Hill Ranch Zinfandel
Established in 1852 near the
town of Glen Ellen in Sonoma Valley, our families' Old Hill
Ranch is one of California’s oldest vineyards. This wine
is produced from a certified organic, dry-farmed field-blend
planted on Old Hill in the 1880’s. The vineyard is a
mosaic of over two dozen grape varieties — principally
Zinfandel, but also Grenache, Alicante Bouchet, Petite Sirah,
Mourvedre, Syrah, Carignane, and Tempranillo, to name a few.
All are blended together in this wine.
The color of our signature Old Hill
Zin is dark purple and the aromas are wonderfully complex.
There is an impressive array of sweet cherries, blackberries,
plums and earthy "old hill" spice that lend structure
and depth. The French oak contributes toast and vanilla aromas
while enhancing the ripe grape tannins on the finish. Follow
the evolution of this wine in your glass as it opens up or
decant if you are in a hurry. The wine will reach its peak
maturity in 7-10 years.
769 cases produced.
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 2005
Old Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon
The six-acre block of Cabernet Sauvignon,
a relative newcomer to Old Hill, was planted in 1983. Considered
to be with in the “banana belt” of Sonoma Valley,
this warm hillside vineyard produces very ripe fruit.
2005 is our first vintage of Old
Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was aged for 20 months in
100% Saury French oak (90% new). The aromas are complex with
hints of licorice-anise spice all within the framework of
black cherries, currants and cedar aromas. It is a richly
textured wine with ripe flavors of blackberries and raspberries
with slight earthy notes of cedar, anise and vanilla oak spice.
310 cases produced.
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2006 Compagni Portis Vineyard
Gewürztraminer
Established in 1952 near the town
of Sonoma, Compagni Portis Vineyard has all the elements that
we believe create distinctive wines. The old vines are dry-farmed
and the vineyard is a field blend that includes a handful
of Trousseau Gris (Grey Reisling) vines.
The wine is aged in neutral French
barrels where it was left on the lees (stirred) for eight
months before bottling. Although distinctly characteristic
of Gewürztraminer the Compagni Portis is more subtle
and austere than one might expect from this grape. Aromas
of tropical fruits, rose blossoms, and apricot fruit dominate
with a subtle background of spicy gewurztraminer aromas. The
palate has plenty of tropical fruit flavors with a lingering
spicy finish. The acidity is firm but not overpowering and
their is the slightest hint of sweetness on the finish. Perfect
hot weather wine —
serve well chilled.
598 cases produced
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 2005
Bald Mountain Ranch Syrah
Bald Mountain Vineyard
sits atop the Mayacama Mountain range between Mt. Hood and
Mt. Veeder. This dry-farmed, terraced vineyard ranges in elevation
between 1900 and 2100 feet, and lies within the three separate
appellations: Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley and Mt. Veeder. Both
night and day, temperatures tend to be lower than in the valley
with the caveat that when the valley is fogged in, the vineyard
is likely clear and sunny.
Our 2005 Bald Mountain
Syrah is deep purple in color and very intense in aromas.
Blackberries raspberries and vanilla spice are dominant but
there are also more subtle notes of fresh moist soil (the
gardeners among us will relate) and chocolate spice in the
background. The flavors are intense too, with sweet plums,
cherries, vanilla spice and ripe lingering tannins on the
finish.
148 cases produced.
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2006 BAMBINO Old Hill Ranch Zinfandel
(the wine formally known as Mixed Blacks)
The grapes for "Bambino" are from a 10-acre block
we planted on Old Hill in 1998. This young vine field-blend
is patterned after the ancient vine field-blend for which
Old Hill is known. The wine is a blend of at least a dozen
grape varieties - principally Zinfandel, but also Petite Sirah,
Alicante Bouchet and Grenache to name a few - all fermented
together to create this Zinfandel blend.
Our Bambino is deep purple in color
with intense blackberry aromas and lots of “Old Hill”
spice, including nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. The flavors
are intense too, with blackberries, cherries, and vanilla
spice. The tannins are big but ripe and mouth watering on
the finish.. A friend recently described it as follows; “
It’s like Wow! And then it is all fun in your mouth!”
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