Hendry Zinfandel Block 28 2019 750ML

Ruby color. Aromatics include maple candy, brown sugar, dark fruit and spice, with more herbal elements after air exposure. Palate echoes the round fruit and spice. Medium-bodied, with a firm tannic finish on the mostly rounded palate. The more structured of our two Zinfandel offerings this medium-weight Zinfandel has enough structure for grilled meats, such as flank or skirt steak, pastas with meaty sauces, and salumi.

Hendry Block 28 is located on bench lands west of the town of Napa. This 4.17-acre block is 160 feet above sea level and has thin, stony soils. Morning fog and strong afternoon breezes from San Pablo Bay moderate the maritime climate. The vines were planted in 1998 using St. George roots and grafted with budwood selected from an old-vine Zinfandel vineyard on Mt. Veeder called the Brandlin Ranch. The vines are spaced 6.9' x 5', cordon-trained and spur-pruned. A vertical trellis system supports the cordon and the canopy.

Wine Enthusiast 93 points Floral scents and vivid, jammy blackberry and black-pepper flavors highlight this full-bodied, full-on fruity wine as accents of wood smoke and wild sage add a rustic, authentic complexity.

Editors' ChoiceWine Advocate 91 points Planted to a Brandlin Ranch selection, the 2019 Zinfandel Hendry Block 28 spent 15 months in French oak (65% new). The result is darker and more intensely flavored than the Blocks 7 & 22 bottling, with blackberry and slightly desiccated black cherry notes, briar patch herbal nuances and mocha and vanilla underpinnings. It's full-bodied and smooth textured—almost creamy without being overly rich or heavy—then finishes easy and silky in feel. Drink it over the next several years.James Suckling 92 points Rather inviting aromas of cracked black and white pepper, clove and baked plum. Full-bodied with silky tannins. Spicy. Lots happening here. Very savory, but with nice, juicy red and black fruit. Good length, too. Shows restraint. Drink or hold.