When John Shakleford Taylor settled in Sonoma Valley in 1853, his land holdings were the largest under one name in all of Sonoma County. On his most prized land he planted Zinfandel and Mission grapes.

The Watkins Family has farmed Zinfandel on this breathtaking property since 1979, and we have found that the dark fruit and spicy flavors of Petite Sirah blend perfectly with the boysenberry jam and pepper components of Zinfandel. The two rows of Grenache was a happy accident discovered years later, resulting in a delicious field blend Zinfandel.

Vineyard Notes

The Watkins Family Zinfandel/Petite Sirah is from Taylor Mountain Vineyard, the place where winemaker Randall Watkins grew up. The Watkins Family has grown spicy Zinfandel on this gentle slope since 1979. Our favorite Zinfandel wines have always contained a percentage of Petite Sirah, so in 2001 we decided to plant a portion of the vineyard to Petite Sirah. Now the blend is showing even more spicy pepper and tangy fruit than ever.