DeLoach Vineyards

While the winery is in the Russian River Valley AVA, the fruit used to make DeLoach’s Forgotten Vines bottling comes from vineyards in several Sonoma County appellations. Russian River Valley supplies 75% of the grapes in the blend, 10% is from the Monte Rosso vineyard in Sonoma Valley, 10% from Fountaingrove in Santa Rosa, and 5% from Knight’s Valley in far eastern Sonoma County. Winemaker Brian Maloney, who came up with the name for the bottling, says the vines that contribute to Forgotten Vines have an average age of more than 100 years old.

Jean-Charles Boisset, the owner of DeLoach and husband of Gina Gallo (see p70), says these old vines impart a notion of history. ‘There’s spirituality in the wine, and a deep terroir that gives you a sense of the time these vines have been alive.’ The components of Forgotten

Vines are also sold as single-vineyard old-vine field blends by DeLoach. These vineyards include Fanucchi, Riebli, Rue and Saitone in Russian River Valley.

Maloney wants to emphasise the fresh fruit character in these grapes, so he lightly crushes them and gives them a four- to seven-day cold soak. He then ferments and presses them when the wine is dry. He uses native yeasts and finishes any laggard fermenters with commercial yeast if needed.

DeLoach, Forgotten Vines, Sonoma County 2016 91

N/A UK www.deloachvineyards.com

The aroma of this elegant organic wine, part of the Boisset Collection, features fresh red raspberries, tobacco leaf and chocolate. On the palate, its red fruits are bright and acidic, giving it a succulent appeal, and Zinfandel’s spice is exhibited as white pepper. Burgundian Jean- Charles Boisset likes that sinewy, elegant style, and winemaker Brian Maloney delivers it. Drink 2020-2026 Alc 15.6%

‘There’s a deep terroir that gives a sense of the time these vines have been alive’

Jean-Charles Boisset