Hearing stories of Zinfandel winemaking with an Edgar Allen Poe influence under a canopy of ivy and a rustic chandelier made for a hedonistic escape. I listened to renowned winemaker Joel Peterson, of Ravenswood, speak to his experience creating his new Besieged wine, cultivated from California’s heritage grape, Zinfandel. With my peers, I tasted the suite of offerings from this distinctive pioneer of old vine Zinfandel at celebrated Yaletown restaurant, Brix, and whiled away the afternoon in bliss.
Besieged, in particular, captured my interest with its blend of old vine varietal grapes sourced from the surrounding Sonoma County vineyards as well as North Coast, Central Coast and Lodi regions.
The limited release 2013 vintage was borne out of a great story. While the heavy rain clouds were falling on his vines, Joel Peterson worked alone to collect the grapes to debut this wine. The ravens circled above his head menacingly in the rain, and instead of being an omen of doom in stories of old, he believes it brought him good fortune as he reaped a good harvest despite the odds.
Besieged boasts a robust and rich palate with aromas of signature cherry. Blended with Petite Sirah, Carignane, Zinfandel, Syrah, Barbera, Alicante Bouschet, and Mourvèdre, I found the finish to be an elegant and smooth mouth feel with its fruity flavours of blackberry, black cherry, plum and cardamom spice. Paired well with Brix’s roast lamb, the French oak balances out the structure and stands up to the game-y taste.
Another old vineyard standout from the collection is the top-tier Teldeschi Zinfandel, blended also with Petite Sirah grapes and Alicante Bouschet from the Dry Creek Valley. Made in the Old World France style incubated for 18 months in the oak with native yeast fermentation, small open-top fermenters, and manual punching down of the cap, it’s all about creating a powerful wine that is sure to impress. The 2010 vintage boasted aromas of black cherries, coffee and sweet notes like vanilla caramel. On the palate were cherry liqueur, vanilla with satisfying spice and smokiness that leads to a long, bright, fruity finish with balanced tannins.
The quality of the portfolio and the care in the presentation is evident from my brief encounter at Brix. Now, I’m dreaming of a California sunset rendezvous with zinfully delicious wine!