The 98-year old Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard is located on about seven acres along a slight rise off Wood Road in the Russian River Valley appellation of Sonoma County. It is dry-farmed and has been hand-tended by the Fanucchi family for the last 29 years. The vineyard is head trained, but the Fanucchis have raised the gnarled vines from just above ground level to chest height. This modification appears to provide greater sun exposure and air circulation and to have reinvigorated the old vines, enhancing the production of high-quality, old vine fruit.
The soils on Wood Road are sandy loam of relatively low pH and fertility. Old vines on these soils produce small Zinfandel berries with bright, concentrated cherry and blackberry fruit flavors. At optimum ripeness, the fruit makes a big, intense, long-lived Zinfandel of unique personality. Bright, high-tone cherry aromas and flavors are typical indicators of Fanucchi-Wood Road terroir.
