2015 Brown Estate Vineyards Zinfandel

Deep magenta core and scarlet rim sparkle with crystalline clarity. A swirl of the glass reveals Venezuelan chocolate commingled with embers that lead into creamy vanilla bean. Hallmark characteristics of hibiscus blossom, exotic Asian apple, and rose petal recall the earliest vintages of this wine, with time revealing ripe red plum with subtle earth and herbs. The 2015 vintage has a leaner countenance than its juicier predecessor, with a medium body and pleasant dryness on the palate that is reminiscent of a dried apricot fruit rollup. A zesty mid-palate twang of navel orange finishes off with a hint of black pepper. Magnificent structure, deep intensity, and seamless integration make this a wine that will linger on your palate and in your mind long after the last sip. Drink now through 2025.
In 1980, the family acquired land in the hills east of Rutherford in the Napa Valley. They were farmers first, and farmers they remain. In 1995 they decided on the strength of the fruit to make wine under their own label. The following year the family produced the first vintage of zinfandel, and along the way we have added cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, petite sirah, and the occasional dessert wine.
In 2010 the Brown family celebrated thirty years in the Napa Valley and Brown Estate’s fifteenth crush. Over the years the farming philosophy has not changed: Our fifty acres of vineyards are planted amidst 450 acres of roughneck wilderness that they strive to tend rather than tame – from the occasional inconvenient honeybee hive in the winery to the prickly star thistles in the vineyards that are a part of their ecosystem.