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2006 Napa Valley Zinfandel
2006 Brown Vineyard Zinfandel
2006 Howell Mountain Zinfandel
2006 St. Helena Zinfandel
2005 Zinfandel Dessert Wine
2006 Napa Valley Primitivo
2005 Napa Valley Petite Sirah
2005 Howell Mountain Zinfandel
2005 Late Harvest Zinfandel

Winemaking Styles & Strengths
How It's Done in the Cellar and the Fields

Thoughts on the Current Line-up
D-cubed Cellars 2006 wines have wonderful bright fruit, and some nice structure to give elegance and some ageability.  2006 was a nice year with interesting weather.  After a nice cool spring we had a fairly hot July and all thought ‘Rut Ro here comes a fast short harvest, but then August and September had nicer cool weather which all contributed to the great fruit quality. From a green perspective the Black Sears Vineyard is that it is now being farmed following Rudolf Steiner’s Biodynamic principles an d the Cypress Ranch is being farmed Organically!

The 2006 Napa Valley Zinfandel is blended from 55% Brown Vineyards, 25% Korte Ranch, 16% Cypress Ranch Zinfandels and 4.3% Cooke Vineyards Petite Sirah. These four vineyards from different parts of Napa Valley all contribute to make this a tasty, balanced and classic Napa Valley Zinfandel.

 The 2006 Napa Valley Zinfandel has blackberry and cherry fruit with hits of nutmeg black pepper and cigar box.  This medium bodied zinfandel has wonderful balance of acid, tannins and alcohol and flavors of berries, spice and Herbs de Provence.  This Zinfandel is lovely now, but with a little more age it will really shine.

Score: 89 | $27
Wine Spectator June 30, 2009
D-CUBED CELLARS Zinfandel Napa Valley 2006
Blackberry pie aromas lead to jammy but well-balanced plum and smoky cracked pepper flavors that finish on a lively tart and briary note. Tannins sneak in on finish. Drink now through 2012. 1,100 cases made. Red. —T.F.

The 2006 Brown Vineyards Zinfandel is the richest wine of the D-cubed line-up it has a deep cherry red color.  The aromas are of ripe cherries and strawberries with black pepper, vanilla and cardamom.  This vintage has a medium body with soft lush tannins and a silky mouth-feel.  The flavors are clean cherry fruit a mouthful of spices.  This very supple and drinkable wine has a long finish of cherries, vanilla and hints of soft oak.

The 2006 Howell Mountain Zinfandel is blended from two vineyards, Slaybaugh Ranch at 1800 ft and Black Sears Vineyard at 2400 ft, both well above the Morning fog of Napa Valley.  The altitude and unique soils of Howell Mountain help to create intense and complex wines. This wine shows the terrior it was born from while maintaining elegance and grace.

D-cubed Cellars 2006 Howell Mountain Zinfandel has aromas of raspberry, and dark cherries with hints of wild mushrooms, and white pepper.  This Howell Mountain wine has rich body and medium-full tannins that fill the mouth nicely. There are wonderful flavors of raspberries, porcini mushrooms and cigar box. The wine finishes long and rich with flavors of berries and cedar.

The Magazine for Restaurant Professionals:   August 2009
D-CUBED CELLARS Zinfandel, St. Helena 2006

The 2006 vintage of Primitivo fills your nose with blackberry and strawberry aromas along with hints if black pepper and mushrooms.  The medium full body wine has smooth tannins and flavors of berries, black pepper and earth.  Please enjoy the similarities and differences of Primitivo with Zinfandel.

Score: 88 | $25

Howell Mountain wines come from above the fog. The region starts at 1,400 ft, but the two vineyards I use are at about 1,800 ft and 2,400ft. This helps the wines become intense and complex. Howell Mountain makes exciting and rich wines that really stand apart from others and show the terrior they are born from.

D-cubed Cellars 2005 Howell Mountain Zinfandel has aromas of raspberry, wild mushrooms, cedar and hints of orange peel. This Howell Mountain wine has rich body and medium-full tannins that fill the mouth nicely. There are wonderful flavors of raspberry, blackberry, porcini mushroom and cigar box. The wine finishes long and rich with hints of wood and tobacco.

2005 Late Harvest Zinfandel

This very interesting Zinfandel comes from the Kidd Ranch in St. Helena. In 2005 I was lucky enough to purchase this fruit that came in at over 30 Brix and over 1.0 gm/100 mL total acidity, (these are numbers like you see in Auslese Riesling from Germany). I had only about 2 tons of the fruit so I decided to let it go and make a sweet wine.

The 2005 Late Harvest Zinfandel has an intense strawberry, black berry jam nose. The very lush, slightly sweet mouth has flavors of fresh strawberries and dried cherries, with hints of spice. This wine finishes with a crisp fruity blast. The light sweetness is balanced by the crisp natural acidity. This is a wonderful wine to have with a cheese course or some simple summer fruits.

Winemaking Styles and Strengths
With all my fruit sources. I am always seeking to produce wines with balance, wines that have strength and elegance which pair easily with food. For some, a preferred style of Zinfandel must be an overwhelming, jet black, fruit bomb that blows you away with intensity and alcohol. The risk is the loss of the ability to read a particular vineyard character. I truly believe there is an inherent elegance to Napa Valley Zinfandels, a trait that is regionally, if not vineyard, distinguishable.

The challenge is to really define that fruit driven elegance, to narrow or confine it down to an area or a vineyard that will reflect a unique taste profile. This true reflection is what I seek out with my particular vineyard choices.

How It's Done in the Cellar and in the Fields
Actually, not much is done in the cellar. With the right fruit, the wine only needs to be guided...the integrity of the grapes pulls through to the bottling and final pouring of my wines. I believe that minimal handling of the grapes and similar production methods are key to letting a particular vineyard and varietal reflection come through.

It is critical to closely monitor every vineyard in order to produce the best grapes possible. During crush I am in each vineyard checking sugars, acids, color and tastes to harvest the most balanced grapes possible. I take an active part in every vineyard stage whether it is canopy management, plantings, soil amendments, or pruning ideas. D-Cubed has worked with the same vineyard management crew for a several years, therefore a consistency of method and perspective is maintained. For me it is a very hands on, personal process; one that will continue to produce a better product if vineyard integrity is maintained.