Zinfandel and Chocolate Gift Basket  (2)

A beautiful wine/chocolate gift basket with 2 wine glasses, assorted fine chocolates and two bottles of premium Zinfandel wine:  2007 Julie LePla Red Bud Ranch (Vacaville) and 2004 Zinfandel, Dillian Ranch Shenandoah Valley (CA) (AVA): (Plymouth, Amador County)

2007 Zinfandel

Julie LePla Red Bud Ranch. This balanced Zinfandel is full of dark cherry and has hints of strawberry and vanilla. The delicious spicy finish and velvety mouth-feel enhance the experience of drinking this wine. 70 cases were produced.

The Julie LePla Winery: The rolling English Hills sit on the northwestern side of Solano County. In the summer they are covered with golden grass occasionally studded with green patches of Digger pines or Valley and Live oaks. One exception is notable–the verdant rows of the vineyard at Red Bud Ranch, the home of Julie LePla Winery.

The winery, owned and operated by Julie Larson, is the second in Vacaville. By any one’s terms the winery is small. Using grapes from the half acre of Zinfandel vines on Red Bud Ranch, the production is limited to 80-100 cases annually. Each case represents the sweat, the challenge and the joy of the cycles of grape-growing and wine-making. The end of one marks the beginning of the other.

To learn more about the Julie LePla Winery: http://www.julieleplawinery.com/

=================================

Dillian Wines

12138 Steiner Rd,
Plymouth, CA 95669
(209) 245-3444
dillianwines@hotmail.com
www.dillianwines.com

www.eldoradowines.org

Hours of operation

Friday  11am to 4:30pm

Saturday  11am to 4:30pm

Sunday  11am to 4:30pm

Winemakers: Tom Dillian, Thomas M. Dillian

Cases produced: 2,000 per year

Signature wine: Zinfandel

2004 Zinfandel, Dillian Ranch – Amador County

In 2004, many of or Zinfandel vineyards ripened earlier than normal, but in the foothills of Amador County, the Dillian Ranch had a relatively longer growing season.  This meant that the grapes experienced a long hang-time and were able to achieve optimum ripeness.  The 2004 harvest of the Dillian vineyard once again produced fruit with richness, extract, and elegance.  The wine exhibits rich black cherry, roasted plum, raspberry, and spice aromas.  Up front it is full-bodied with sweet tannins on the palette, juicy ripe fruit, with mocha and spicy flavors.  We love the balance on this wine and the mouth feel is complete with a long and elegant finish that lingers only long enough to want more!

Fruit: 100% Zinfandel, old vine head trained

Appellation: Amador County, Tom Dillian Ranch

Harvest Dates: Three separate picking dates, October 8, 12, and 18^th

Harvest Brix: 24.8, 25.9, 26.5

Cooperage: Aged in 50% new American oak, 10% new French oak, and 40% 2-3- year old oak.

Aging Time: Aged in barrel for 15 months

Alcohol: 14.9%

Release Date: April 1, 2006

Suggested Retail: $25.00

ZINFANDEL:

Flavor: As much as any wine, zinfandel comes in a wide range of styles, from rose to port, but as a table wine it's distinguished by blackberry, raspberry and strawberry flavors, tending more to plums, prunes and raisins the longer the grapes are left on the vine before harvest.

Body: Balanced zinfandels are dry and solid, with a mass that while formidable also can be easily handled, especially after the tannins have a couple of years to calm down.

At the table, pour it with... Zinfandel is the wine of the backyard barbecue and tailgate party, versatile enough to accompany foods ranging from simply dressed hot dogs to thickly glazed ribs.

Curiosities: If not for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto in 2006, zinfandel would be California's "historic wine," a proposal that breezed through the legislature but fell short of getting the governor's nod.