2010 - Present Wine

Bedrock Wine Co. · Old Vine Zinfandel · 2023

Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel 2023 offers juicy berry fruit, floral lift and peppery spice in a textured, inviting red. Cherry, raspberry and plum notes meet savory accents and a fresh finish, balancing generosity with restraint.

Producer & Farming

Thoughtful farming and the rehabilitation of ancient vineyards are central to Bedrock's work. Bedrock Vineyard itself is certified Organic and Regenerative Organic; the team applies the same core ethos to its outside vineyards, adapting practices to each site's soils and rainfall. These vineyard certifications do not establish certification for the entire Old Vine blend.

The approach emphasizes biodiversity, minimal soil disturbance, soil protection and animal integration. Winter and spring cover crops include more than 20 species from seven to eight plant families, supplemented by native insectary rows, pollinator pathways, owl boxes and raptor roosts. Non-till practices protect soil biology and carbon, while crimping shades the ground and helps moderate vineyard temperatures. Short periods of intensive seasonal grazing are followed by cover-crop regrowth before crimping.

Bedrock reports a fourfold increase in soil microbiology through animal integration. Its farming account describes organic matter rising from below 1% to above 5%, improving water-holding capacity by over 80,000 gallons per acre and storing 32 additional tons of carbon per acre. It notes that a 1% rise in soil organic matter can add 20,000+ gallons of water-holding capacity per acre, and compares rain absorption of 10 inches per hour in non-till systems with half an inch in tilled systems. The regenerative approach also reduces reliance on energy-intensive conventional fertilizers and offsite compost.

Jake Neustadt, Director of Viticulture. “What's inspiring about farming is when you start to think about terroir as a system where the plant is communicating with the soil. If you want to express terroir, you want the plant to be communicating with its soil instead of relying on external inputs, which the goal of everything we are doing.”

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

Jeb Dunnuck · 93 Points · 2023. The 2023 Zinfandel Old Vine was raised in 600-gallon foudre with a small proportion (8%) in new oak, and it’s roughly 90% Zinfandel along with an eclectic field mix. The nose opens to bright peppery spice, fresh cut flowers, and black raspberries, with deeper notes of fresh sanguine earth coming through. The palate is full-bodied yet restrained, with a detailed structure and length with a mountainous feel. It’s a great lens into the range they produce here at Bedrock and a tremendous value. Drink 2025-2032.

James Suckling · 92 Points · 2023. An expressive, fruity and well-balanced wine that shows the rich berry aromas of the grape variety while keeping a slightly tangy, lightly tannic texture that’s refreshing. Raspberries, red cherries, red plums and hints of sage and orange peel. Made from vines with an average age of 80 years.

Wine Spectator · 92 Points · 2023. Sleek and juicy, with fan-friendly cherry, raspberry, toasty spice and briar accents that glide on the zesty finish. Drink now through 2033.

Vinous · 91 Points · 2023. The 2023 Zinfandel Old Vine is a very pretty wine. Floral, spice-inflected and lifted, the 2023 is such a classy offering. In this vintage, the Old Vine Zinfandel is incredibly varietal. Even so, it is sensual, silky and wonderfully inviting. The blend is built on a core of fruit from Sodini, Bedrock, Teldeschi and Evangelho, with smaller bits from several other properties in the portfolio. Most of the wine is aged in neutral vessels, with a well-judged touch of spice from some new oak that adds flair. What an absolute delight.

Winemaker Description

The largest single component comes from the old vines at Bedrock, followed by the perfumed goodness of Esola, the softer but fresh Schmiedt, and the peppery, dark-fruited Nervo Ranch.

As usual, almost all of the wine consists of declassified barrels from vineyard-designated wines, so it offers serious bang for the buck. 85% Zinfandel with the balance a blend of Carignan, Mataro, Grenache, and Alicante Bouschet, along with esoteric creatures like Aubun, Abouriou, and many more.

Pairing & Serving

Try grilled sausages, barbecued pork, roast lamb or mushroom pizza. Serve slightly below room temperature and allow time in the glass to explore its fruit, flowers and spice.

Details

• Producer: Bedrock Wine Co.
• Vintage: 2023
• Country: United States
• Region: California
• Listed appellation: Sonoma Valley
• Grape / blend: Zinfandel-led field blend; the undated winemaker note and 2023 review give different percentages
• Type: Red wine
• Bottle size: 750ml
• Vineyard character: Old vines
• Farming: Regenerative principles; Bedrock Vineyard is certified Organic and Regenerative Organic

Winemaker Description

Ruby-red color. The nose is complex and elegant. Notes of dry flowers, hay and rose petal, accompanied by a hint of chamomile. It is fresh, balanced, silky, enveloping and full-bodied on the palate. The tannins are prominent yet well-integrated. The finish is long and persistent. We recommend decanting a few hours before serving.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020

Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points | A medium red hue, the 2020 Barolo Rocche Di Castiglione offers more complexity and is more nuanced in the glass, with notes of dried raspberries, tangerine, roses, dried herbs, and cedar. Medium-bodied, it is crunchy with an elegant feel but has balanced structure and retains a somewhat more chiseled feel that’s true to the vintage. It has a lot to enjoy now and also has a wide drinking window. Drink 2025-2050.

The Wine Advocate 96 Points | The Vietti 2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a very delineated wine with sharp ferrous notes, cherry cola, redcurrant and chalky mineral. It is extremely precise in terms of its aromas. The effect is direct and layered, showing different sides and increasing complexity as it opens in the glass. Dried floral notes, purple flower and iris also appear delicately. The chalky tannins feel abrupt at this young stage, but this wine is built to last nonetheless. Only 3,512 bottles were created.

Vinous 96 Points | The 2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a magical wine from a magical site. It marries finesse and volume to a degree that is not found in most of the other wines in this range. Castiglione Falletto is the center of the Barolo production zone, literally and figuratively, the place where many different soil types meet. As a result, the wines often possess mind-blowing balance, which is very much the case here.

Winemaker Notes

Expert Review

Vinous 97 Points Josh Raynolds writes |  Glass-staining ruby. Exotically perfumed black and blue fruit, incense and candied licorice scents, along with mineral, olive and exotic spice overtones. Seamless and expansive on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet lively blackberry, boysenberry, cherry-cola, salty olive and floral pastille flavors that show outstanding energy and mineral lift. Slow-building tannins grow on a strikingly long, focused finish that strongly echoes the licorice and mineral notes.

Winemaker Description

Don Miguel Vineyard. Named after the late patriarch of the Torres family, this organic vineyard is located in the Green Valley- the coolest, foggiest region of the Russian River, only ten miles from the Pacific. Displays vibrant, luscious fruit reminiscent of blackberries and dark cherries.

This is a wine of precision, finesse and balance, rich and opulent on the palate, with supple tannins. It will continue to develop and gain complexity with age, at least for another 10 years. 

Gary Farrell Russian River Selection Pinot Noir · 2022

Gary Farrell blends its Russian River Selection from vineyards across the valley, bringing different climates and site characters into one Pinot Noir. The 2022 opens with Luxardo cherry, rose petal, fresh fennel, dark berry preserve and a hint of savory earth.

On the palate, sour cherry, blood orange, wild raspberry and tangy tamarind meet fine-grained tannins and firm acidity. Its full-bodied texture and long, spicy finish make this a bottle to bring to a dinner centered on roast poultry or mushrooms.

Winemaker description · 2022 vintage

Our Russian River Selection bottlings are quintessential Russian River Valley wines blended from some of the region’s top vineyards, taking advantage of varied climates and unique site characteristics. The 2022 Russian River Selection Pinot Noir has seductive aromas of Luxardo cherries intertwined with rose petals, fresh fennel, dark berry preserves, and a hint of savory earth. The youthful yet complex palate offers juicy flavors of sour cherries, blood orange, wild raspberries and with a dollop of tangy tamarind. Fine-grained tannins are balanced by firm acidity, creating a full-bodied texture, lending to an incredibly long, spicy finish.

Winemaker description

Expert review · Vintage 2022

James Suckling, 92 Points — Bright aromas of dried strawberries, wild raspberries, dried herbs and Jolly Ranchers candy. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins and acidity, giving fresh flavors of cherry confit, toffee apples and rhubarb.

At a glance

• Producer: Gary Farrell
• Wine: Russian River Selection Pinot Noir
• Vintage: 2022
• Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California
• Grape: Pinot Noir
• Size: 750ml

A layered Russian River Pinot Noir for the table or a slow evening.