2006 Old Vine Zinfandel, Benito Dusi Vineyard

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Text Box: Benito Dusi’s eighty-year-old vineyard is planted entirely to zinfandel, rare for a vineyard of that age. His vineyard is located on the west side of Estrella River in the cool and windy Templeton Gap corridor. The heavy, gnarled, and head-pruned vines are visible from Highway 101, but don’t expect to see a sign. Benito figures, if the vineyard’s been there for eighty years, who needs a sign? Classic zinfandel aromas of raspberry, wild rose, peppercorn and apricot lead into rich, deep flavors of cherry and black raspberry, with a lingering finish of pastry, black pepper and briar in this unusually rich production from Benito Dusi’s 90-year-old vines. This is a richer vintage for Dusi, due to a cool, wet vintage and longer hangtime. Because it was picked at slightly higher sugars than usual, and over a period of 8 days, the resulting alcohol is about 1.2% higher than in most vintages. The trade off is a more “modern” style zinfandel with deeper pigment and flavors. The grapes were fermented in small open tops and punched down by hand. Dusi’s trademark spice and natural complexity are augmented by sixteen months sur lies in American oak. 2007 Harvest photos. “A unique Zin, very Dusi.” – Dover Dan Only 12 barrels produced. A Visit with Benito Dusi Old Vine Zinfandel, $6 a Case: Looking Back at Dusi Vineyard - Appellation America.com

Text Box: 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel Benito Dusi Vineyard Paso Robles 15.9% Alc.

Suggested food pairings ~ Raspberry-black pepper tritip, served with Gorgonzola mashed potatoes and a mesclun-arugula salad tossed with raspberries and toasted pine nuts.