"Not a wine for
those who practice flavor avoidance," notes Ray Krause in his latest note
to me. Frankly, I love his notes as they are always so informative.
 |
| Primitivo vineyard |
At Westbrook Wine Farm in Madera County
just on the doorstep of Yosemite, Ray raises the flag for winemaking and wine
growing in this part of the Sierra Foothills.
This note about his Primitivo is worth a read:
This note about his Primitivo is worth a read:
"Introducing Primitivo di gioia 2012 by Westbrook Wine Farm....
The
ancient Primitivo grape is Italy’s genetic twin to our California red Zinfandel which both
originated over 2000 years ago in Croatia before the Roman Empire.
Unsupported legend has it that Primitivo
may have been the red wine served at the Last Supper. Its deep red color with
twinkling ruby highlights prepares the fortunate taster for layers of juicy,
full flavored blackberry, anise and wood spice without a trace of bitterness.
Di gioia simply means “of joy”, so please enjoy!
I think it was around the
late 1960s when a new wave of California winemakers, eager to set themselves
apart, began producing red Zinfandels to mimic Cabernet Sauvignon. The low acid, tannic, late harvest, alcohol laden, fruit forward style all but
obliterated the true characteristics if the grape with excesses.
We were still in the midst of
the “white/cold wine boom” and “white Zin” was yet to be marketed. Before DNA
analysis, Zinfandel was known as California’s own grape because it was not
known to other parts of the globe by that name. We had heard about Primitivo di
Gioia from Italy but did not make any organoleptic or physiological connection.
We now know that Zinfandel
and Primitivo are genetic twins. It was the most widely planted red grape in
California at that time. Cabernet Sauvignon, however, was (and still is) red
king of California.
While big banks and insurance
companies hurried to plant more Cabernet vineyards, Zinfandel would become the
temporary surrogate as consumers swayed back into increased red wine
consumption. However stylistically well crafted, it never tasted like a red
Bordeaux. In our opinion, produced properly it probably has more in common with
a rich Burgundy or southern Rhone.
Primitivo at Westbrook Wine Farm….we offer you the past in its authentic form.In this, our first crafting of an old school style California Primitivo at Westbrook Wine Farm, we offer you the past in its authentic form."
Westbrook Wine Farm
49610 House Ranch Road
O'Neals, California 93645
www.westbrookwinefarm.com
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