2021 Epoch Zinfandel
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Tasting notes
The 2021 Zinfandel comes mainly from the Paderewski Vineyard, with a smaller portion of fruit from York Mountain. Matured for 17 months in 30% new French oak, it takes some time to reveal scents of blueberry, maraschino cherries, graphite and graham cracker. The palate is much more showy at this stage, flooding the mouth with spicy flavors. It has abundant, clay-textured tannins, vibrant acidity and a long, layered finish. 311 cases were made.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
One of the finest Zinfandels I've ever tasted, the 2021 Zinfandel reveals a deep purple hue as well as incredible aromatics of red, blue and black fruits, ground pepper, flowers, and graphite. Gorgeous on the palate as well, it has medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, perfectly integrated acidity, and a great finish. This head-turning juice is up with the finest Zinfandels out there. Epoch continues to pull heavily from their estate Paderewski Vineyard, but they’re also releasing new cuvées from their York Mountain estate as those vines come online. I expect this trend to continue. Looking at the wines reviewed here, I was able to taste all their 2020s now from bottle, and they’ve clearly produced some of the top wines in this challenging vintage. If there’s any smoke in these wines, I was unable to find it, and they have remarkable purity in their aromatics and ripe, polished tannins. I was also able to go through the 2021s with winemaker Jordan Fiorentini, and there are some legit genius wines in here that are as good as anything out there. I’d wager these 2021s are some of the finest wines produced from this estate, and I can’t wait to try them again from bottle next year.