Known mostly for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, Napa Valley adds considerable heft to the spicy flavors of Zinfandel, and wines sourced from there should be on every Zin-lover's wish list. A perfect place to begin your search is with Robert Biale Vineyards, where they've been growing zinfandel vines and making delicious Zinfandel since 1937.
The patriarch of the family, Aldo Biale, initially sold most of his grapes to local Napa Valley wineries, holding back just a bit for family wine. But over the years, things changed as locals came to know his wine and developed an interest in having some for their own tables.
Zinfandel was a favorite of Italian immigrants through the decades because it produced a wine reminiscent of the earthy, deep-flavored red wines of their homeland. Throughout Prohibition, the grape was also a favorite of shippers whose fruit was sent east to home winemakers because Zin's thick skins made it ideal for surviving the rigors of overland travel.
Fast-forward to the California wine boom of the 1980s and 1990s, when the Biale family took a turn toward commercial production of their wine and their own label. Based on a partnership between Robert Biale and Dave Pramuk in 1991, the Oak Knoll vineyard is now focused on zinfandel production, and even serves up Petite Sirah and a kitchy label called "Like Father Like Son."
The Rosano Code
ROBERT BIALE
(Napa Valley)
Plummy and full from aroma to palate. Blackberry jam, dense black fruit flavors, touch of brown spice and minerals, with a hint of toffee on finish.
(drink from 2011-2018)
ROBERT BIALE
(Napa Valley)
Superbly smooth, exotic aromas of dark chocolate and raspberry jam, palate impression is equally soft, black cherries and raspberries dominate.
(drink from 2011-2018)
ROBERT BIALE
(Napa Valley)
Plums, black cherries, smooth as silk, soft hint of sage and bay leaf, dense, chewy, exquisite balance, huge body.
(drink from 2011-2018)