Notes from the Archivist

"Queen's Bounty"

All hail the Queen! Today marks Archival’s first Coronation of Zinfandel.

“Queen’s Bounty” certainly has the pedigree. Bred from a winemaker who has quite literally shaped modern “cult” Cabernet in Napa and sourced from a producer especially known for their work with Zinfandel, this is indeed a crown-worthy pick to claim our first Zinfandel release.

And when she’s not chasing perfection with Cabernet for some of Napa’s most elite producers, she’s passionately working to enchant other grapes with her magic touch. That includes making some badass Zinfandel for one small family producer atop Howell Mountain, where she’s served as their winemaker for almost three decades.

This one comes from old vines on a single hillside vineyard in Calistoga. The name of which must remain hidden. And while the source is redacted, the savviest among you can probably venture a guess without much digging. Their Zins fetch $60-70 on release, and always seem to garner critical praise in the mid 90s.

We’re both picky about Zinfandel. It’s often insipid, flabby, and overripe. Or lacking complexity – one dimensional, and missing a few notes up high or down low. That’s where a little backup from something like Merlot, Petite Sirah, or Syrah can help. Here, we went with 8% Petite to fatten up the mid palate and give it a little soul – like Merry Clayton in the Stones “Gimme Shelter”, it just works perfectly. When it has this kind of balance and complexity, Zinfandel can shine, and this hits all the right notes.

Uncork it and this shows off with plenty of fruit, spice, and exotic woods on the nose. On entry it carries the tune with red vines, wild strawberry and red plums, framed with cedar, clove and amber, and a peppery kick on the clean finish. Gentle, integrated tannins and palate-cleansing acidity carry it all in perfect harmony. Bright, juicy, and mouthwatering, this should prove a very food-friendly wine, perfect with braised and bbq meats, burgers and hearty pastas.

This will go down as a favorite, for sure. Load up while it’s here!