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What We Say 2007 Vineyard 1869 Zinfandel
OLDEST VINES ALERT:
Today’s extraordinary wine is made from the oldest recorded Zinfandel vines in the country! Have you ever tasted wine made from 141 year-old vines?
SUPERIOR WINE ALERT:
Today’s limited-release Zinfandel from our good friends, Scott and Jana Harvey, is a very special wine, earning it today’s Superior alert.
SECRET SAVINGS ALERT:
Subscribe to our Daily Dispatch (above) and you’ll always know what our Top Secret coupon code of the day is. Every day we issue a new members-only code that entitles you to have Ground Shipping included on orders of six or more and, sometimes, an added discount!
Mission Codename: The Eldest
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: Scour the country, in search of the oldest registered Zinfandel vines in the country. If the wine from these vines is superb, procure an ample allotment for our Zin-loving Operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Scott Harvey Wines
Wine Subject: 2007 Vineyard 1969 – Amador County Old Vine Zinfandel
Winemaker: Scott Harvey
Backgrounder:
Today’s fantastic selection is made from the country’s oldest recorded Zinfandel vines.
Nestled in California’s once gold-rich Sierra Foothills, the Amador County AVA (American Viticultural Area) has been called California’s last great undiscovered wine growing region. With vineyards that date back to the 19th Century, this region is home to some of the oldest vines in the state. Today, Amador County produces some of the most deeply concentrated and intense Zinfandels in the state. Today’s wine is the best example of a perfectly balanced Amador Zin that we could get our spy paws on. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report below.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Gorgeous ruby red hues, with garnet edges and a slightly darkening heart of pure ruby. The wine settles very quickly when swirled, leaving behind tall columns of chubby legs that move steadily down the glass.
Smell – A heady rush of black raspberry and black cherry jump from the glass. These are layered over flavors of bramble, blackberry, cloves, brown spice, cracked leather and black pepper.
Feel – Soft and round on the very tip of the tongue. The wine starts light-weight, and then fine grained tannins take hold, introducing a soft dryness the spreads from the tip of the tongue the the edges of the palate, ultimately (but very gradually) drying the entire palate. This dryness is smooth and somewhat velvety, making the feeling very unique.
Taste – Bold and very flavorful, with pure raspberry, cherry, blackberry out front. These sit easily atop earthen bramble, allspice, smoky blueberry, subtle sweetwoods and black pepper.
Finish – This wine has a long and delightfully graduated finish that starts off sweet and softly spicy. Then, as flavors tail off and the dryness spreads across the palate, the character of the wine stays with you; Flavors never seems to leave your palate and, instead, the soft dryness that remains hold on to flavor for a very long time.
Conclusion – This is a remarkable Zinfandel that our tasting panel went absolutely crazy for. It is somewhat difficult to explain, but bear with me for a moment; The flavors in this wine are big, but the feel of the wine gives these flavors a certain lightness. That is to say that the flavors are not overpowering or cloying. Rather, the sit easily on the tongue – where they seem to linger forever. This is a very special Zinfandel that I think everyone should experience. Not only for the sheer age of the vines (the oldest in the USA), but also for the unique character and sheer deliciousness. As a 2007, we can’t help but be excited for the wine in the next years to come. The wine is great, and should only continue to get better.
Pair this wine with your favorite grilled meat, a great gourmet pizza or a hearty pasta. Most of all, just try this exciting wine!
Mission Report:
WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER
SUBJECT: Scott Harvey
DATE OF BIRTH: 3-24-54
PLACE OF BIRTH: Bamberg, Germany
WINE EDUCATION: 1975, I apprenticed at K. Fitz-Ritter Winery while attending the Weinbau Schule in Neustadt, Germany. Returned to Amador County to apprentice from Cary Gott at Montevina winery.
CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Montevina, In 1978, at the age of twenty-three, Scott took over as Head Winemaker for Story Winery, worked at Santino Winery and then started Renwood winery with a partner. Later was recruited to Napa Valley to be winemaker and president of Folie a Deux.
WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Being European trained, I make wines to go with foodâgood acidity and low pH. This is considered old world style of winemaking.
SIGNATURE VARIETAL: Barbera
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Named 1 of the top 10 Winemakers in CA by Dan Berger
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: 2003 Scott Harvey Reserve Barbera being selected as 3rd best Barbera in the world outside of Italy.
WINEMAKER QUOTE: âWine needs to tell two stories, one Iâm Zinfandel, two Iâm Napa Valleyâ
WINEMAKER INTERVIEW
AGENT RED: Greetings, Scott. We are thrilled to be showing your Jana Old Vine Zinfandel today. It is one of the most delicious Zinâs I have tried of late! Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.
SCOTT: Thank you for selecting one of my wines for your program.
RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?
SCOTT: When I was sent to Germany as an AFS exchange student in high school, I was sent to a winemaking region of Germany. On my first day there, my âGerman familyâ handed me a glass of wine. I looked out the window at the vineyards below, got my German dictionary out and said, âdoes this wine come from those grapes?â They said âyes, do you want to see where itâs made?â âŠ.and the rest is history.
RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?
SCOTT: I got my basic training in Germany but my recent winemaking style I attribute to my mentor , Dr. Richard Peterson.
RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?
SCOTT: Old world style. Wines that are drunk with food.
RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?
SCOTT: Dr. Richard Peterson
RED: How long have you been making wine?
SCOTT: 37 years
RED: Who do you make wine for?
SCOTT: myself, my wife, and our consumers
RED: Tell me, what makes the Amador region so special?
SCOTT: Amador County is a mountain region where the high elevation produces good regionally identifiable flavors.
RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?
SCOTT: You need to be a very clean and neat person. 90% of winemaking is janitorial.
RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?
SCOTT: Harvest!
RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today
SCOTT: It is from the oldest documented Zinfandel Vineyard in the world. The document that substantiates the vineyards age is dated 1869.
RED: What is your favorite pairing with todayâs wine?
SCOTT: Red meats with lots of juice.
RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know
SCOTT: I like to iron my own shirts.
RED:What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?
SCOTT: Chianti
RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?
SCOTT: People drink experiences. Have fun with the wine.
RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?
SCOTT: Whatever my wife wants to drink.
RED: What is the one question that I should have asked you, and what is your answer to that question?
SCOTT: Question: Do you have any new wines planned to make? Answer: Iâd love to make a GewĂŒrztraminer from a cold climate region.
RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you â and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we
are big fans!
SCOTT: Thank, Red! Back to harvest for me. See you soon!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Jana Wines and Scott Harvey Wines can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Scott Harvey Wines
Awards & Accolades:
90 Points – Wine Enthusiast
About This Wine:
America’s Oldest Zinfandel Vineyard! Andrew Johnson was Handing the Presidency over to Ulysses S. Grant in 1869! 141 year old vines.
Produced 100% from the Harvey Vineyard, Americaâs oldest Zinfandel Vineyard documented as existing in 1869. âVineyard 1869â was planted in the days when horses were used for cultivation. This ancient vineyard is non-irrigated, stand alone head pruned vines that fully express the Amador Zinfandel terroir.
Briary varietal Zinfandel. Deep raspberry, allspice, cloves and cinnamon, balanced with a fleshy center and hints of coffee, leather and bright currents. Old Vine complexity and first growth quality.
Vineyard Notes: 100% 136 year old vines from the Harvey Vineyard known as âVineyard 1869â
Production Notes: Produced in the old world style of balanced wine making. We want the wine to express the Amador Zinfandel terroir with a good balance of fruit, French oak, structural tannins and medium alcohol.
About The Winery:
Scott Harvey Wines are made of the best varietals from the terroir of Amador County, California. These worldly wines include an Old Vine Zinfandel, a Syrah (Rhone), a Barbera (Italian) and a Port (Portuguese). Scott’s roots are in Amador County which has allowed him to develop considerable expertise with these varietals.
History:
Growing up in California’s Sierra Mountains Region, Scott developed a keen interest in winemaking as a high school exchange student in the Rhineland Pfalz region of Germany. Scott attended California State University at Sacramento before beginning practical Enology training at Montevina Winery in Amador County. Back to Germany in 1975, he apprenticed at K. Fitz-Ritter Winery while attending the Weinbau Schule in Neustadt. Once again returning to Montevina Winery, Scott focused on all aspects of winemaking and running a winery. From farming the grapes to effectively marketing the wine, Scott solidified his knowledge and experience. In 1978, at the age of twenty-three, Scott took over as Head Winemaker for Story Winery, also in Amador County.
In 1979 Scott developed an ambitious winery plan for the Santino family. As Winemaker and General Manager of Santino Winery, Scott is credited with placing Amador County firmly on the California wine map. Crafting the best wines possible from the soils and climatic conditions of the region, Santino and later Renwood benefited from Scott’s German training and innovative style. Becoming one of the leading wineries in Amador County, and garnering critical acclaim, the wine world was paying attention. Amador County was now recognized as a world-class wine-growing appellation.
In 1996, Scott was recruited as Partner, Winemaker & President for newly purchased, Folie a Deux Winery in Napa Valley. Combining forces with Lead Partner, renowned Winemaker, Richard Peterson, Ph.D, a formidable winemaking team was launched. Scott pursued his commitment to award-winning Cabernets made from the Estate Vineyards in Napa Valley while continuing his passion for Amador County Zinfandel. Access to Scott’s original GrandpĂšre vineyard in Amador County and close relationships with premier Amador County growers, resulted in award-winning wines all around for Folie a Deux. In addition, Scott’s creation, the “Menage a Trois” line of wines, was an instant commercial success. In 2004, Folie a Deux, now a respected brand, was sold to Sutter Home/Trinchero Winery. Scott was finally positioned and ready to start his own venture, and he had the ideal partner – his wife, Jana, a wine industry veteran.
Scott Harvey Wines, the initial line of wines in the “Creative Wine Concepts” portfolio, was created out of market demand for Scott’s wines – “niche wines that over deliver.” The Scott Harvey line focuses on Scott’s roots – Zinfandel, Syrah and Barbera from the Sierra’s. Approachable, food friendly and full of luscious fruit, these wines have struck a cord in the marketplace. Scott has hit his stride with his new mantra – “Scott Harvey Wines, it’s time!” Stay tuned – this is just the beginning!
Technical Analysis:
Vintage: 2007
Wine Type: Red Wine
Varietal: Zinfandel
Appellation: Amador County
PH: 3.51
Aging: 17 months French Oak
Residual Sugar: Dry <.2%
Alcohol: 14.5%
