95 Wine & Spirits

These two blocks of zinfandel, in the benchlands at the base of Mount Veeder, were both planted to clone 2; the vines in Block 7 date to 1975 and to 1995 in Block 22. It’s interesting to taste this side-by-side with Block 28 (also recommended here), comparing fruit from a mass selection of old vines with a clonal planting. Block 28 may be more complex in its tannins; the wine from Blocks 7 & 22 may be more comforting and delicious, its complexity held in a floral scent, like pollen collected in a beehive. Or floral dark chocolate, a richness that smooths the tannins and their mineral spikes of power. Cellar both wines and you may find yourself grabbing one or the other, depending on your mood. —Joshua Greene