Winegrowing at Zahtila Vineyards

Cultivating Consistency and Character
Dry Creek Zinfandel
Two Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons, Two Distinct Styles
Chardonnay
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Cultivating Consistency and Character

At Zahtila Vineyards, wines are handcrafted in limited quantities with grapes sourced from some of California's most celebrated winegrowing estates. The goal is exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel that reflects the rich history and character of the region. Zahtila Vineyards' winemaking style is inspired by a passion for creating wines as a complement to food that is shared around the table with family and friends.

As with every aspect of her boutique winery, Owner and Proprietor Laura Zahtila is intimately involved in identifying the grapegrowing partners of Zahtila Vineyards and encouraging the highest quality fruit from these special sites. "Because we are so small, we have the freedom to be highly selective in fruit sourcing," says Laura. "We are committed to working very closely with our growers, to understanding their farming philosophy and working together to create wines that reveal great vineyard character and flavor."

Associate Winemaker Ignacio Blancas crafts premium wines with a gentle approach that preserves the intense flavor and expansive character of the high-quality fruit. "Our winegrowing philosophy is whatever the grapes give you, you have the opportunity to extract, but you'll never get more than they have to give," he says. "So consistency is key—and that consistency begins in the vineyards."

Dry Creek Zinfandel

For exceptional old-vine Zinfandel, Zahtila Vineyards went to the Dry Creek Valley—a region celebrated for its long history of successfully nurturing this fickle grape variety. Zinfandel is particularly suited to the well-drained, low fertile soils found in some Dry Creek Valley vineyards. It thrives in the region's climate, where the weather is warm enough to fully ripen the grapes, but cool enough to produce grapes with acidity. The result for Zahtila Vineyards Dry Creek Old Vines Zinfandel is a complex wine that is intensely flavorful, yet balanced.

In 2004, Zahtila Vineyards created its first vineyard-designated Dry Creek Old Vines Zinfandel from Oddone Vineyard. Located in the middle of the appellation in Sonoma County, the Dry Creek vineyard from which we source fruit is tucked into a pocket that protects it from the hottest days, while still providing ample sun. The vineyard is planted to 3.5 acres of Zinfandel and a little Petite Syrah, growing the fruit for Zahtila's Dry Creek Zinfandel and Laura's Port for a number of years. "We are so proud of the consistent quality coming from the Oddone Vineyard," says Laura. "We've invested a great deal of time and energy to ensure the property is farmed in the same way we farm our estate. The results have been well worth the effort, and we wanted to acknowledge this unique place with a vineyard designate."

Two Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons,
Two Distinct Styles

Made from the premium quality fruit of neighboring vineyards, Zahtila's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted to reveal big berry fruit in a luscious wine with mild tannins, while its Beckstoffer Vineyards, Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant wine, with rich color and tannins made to age.

"From a winemaker standpoint, Cabernet is the most fun wine to make," says Blancas, who helps to craft both Zahtila's Napa Valley and Beckstoffer Cabernets. "It's a hearty grape with loose clusters, so there's a small amount of disease pressure and low threat of botrytis because condensation doesn't have an opportunity to build up between the grapes. But it's also the varietal that you hang your hat on in Napa. The whole state gets judged on the Napa cab vintage," he asserts.

While the current trend is toward higher alcohol, what Blancas calls "in-your-face" wines; the style of Zahtila Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine with balance that will complement a meal. "We don't want to over produce the wines," he says. "We want to take what the grapes have to offer and make elegant, fleshy wines that show the fruit and have backbone."

To achieve this style, Blancas works closely with Vineyard Manager Placido Garcia to determine when to pick and carefully considers when to press. "Cab is tannic, 20 to 30 percent more tannic than zin," notes Blancas. "When cab is in the fermentor, you're building the foundation for the rest of the wine's life. Tannins and color are critical because you can't add them later, but you also have to make sure you're not getting too many tannins. Our goal is a wine that will age, but with balance."

The vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Vineyards, Georges III is another example of Zahtila Vineyards commitment to grower excellence. First purchased by Beaulieu Founder Georges de Latour in 1928, Beckstoffer's Georges III vineyard sits in the heart of the acclaimed Rutherford district. The vineyard offers a variety of microclimates and soil profiles that add depth and complexity in the blending process.

"As you go north on the four-acre vineyard, the soils are rocky and shallow," explains Blancas. "Cab loves the rockier shallow soils, which give you small clusters, big structure and great concentration, in other words tannins and color." Other areas of the vineyard are defined by heavier soils, which nurture bigger, fleshier berries that lend a softer more elegant element in the finished wine. The diversity of growing conditions within the Beckstoffer Vineyard has Zahtila picking as many as three times during harvest, to ensure each block is picked at optimal maturity.

Chardonnay

Zahtila Vineyards made its first Chardonnay with the 2004 vintage. "As passionate as I am about Zinfandel and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, there are times when nothing tastes better than a light and crisp Napa Valley Chardonnay," admits Laura. This non-malolactic fermentation, fruit forward Chardonnay has a refreshing acidity that makes it a standout white. The Zahtila Vineyards Chardonnay is available exclusively from the Zahtila tasting room.

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