2019 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, Peterson Winery
Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States
Dry Creek After Dark
Deep, generous and beautifully composed, this is Zinfandel with all the warmth and richness you want, but with a finer edge than many. Ripe blackberry, dark cherry and plum rise first, followed by toasted oak, sweet spice and a subtle earthy note that gives the wine real depth. The palate is mouth-coating and plush, with luscious dark fruit, a little savoury lift and just enough tannic grip to keep everything in shape. There is real power here, but it is delivered with control, finishing long, smooth and quietly seductive. The blend is primarily Zinfandel, with small amounts of Petite Sirah, Carignan and Grenache.
For when: the grill is hot, the food is smoky, and the evening is in no hurry.
Pairs with: barbecue ribs, grilled sausages, lasagne, or slow-cooked beef.
If this wine were a place: a warm Sonoma evening with smoke in the air and the last light fading over the vines.
Peterson Winery is one of Dry Creek Valley’s thoughtful small producers, and this wine is designed to reflect the valley as a whole rather than a single site. By drawing fruit from five different vineyards across the appellation, each with its own soil and microclimate, the wine captures a broader picture of Dry Creek Zinfandel, ripe, layered and generous, but still shaped by freshness and balance. The 2019 was aged for 29 months in a mix of new American oak, new Hungarian oak and older neutral barrels, which helps explain its polish and depth.
Whats in the bottle
Zinfandel 82%, Petite Sirah 7%, Carignan 6%, Grenache 5%