96 POINTS -
"Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2022 Hartford Zinfandel soars with notes of rose oil, star anise, kirsch, and raspberry pie leading to a core of stewed red plums and incense. The medium to full-bodied palate has a refreshing backbone and lightly chewy texture, finishing with lovely purity and a red berry lift. Don and Jennifer Hartford tend this head-trained vineyard in the backyard of their home. Planted over 100 years ago, the Hartford Vineyard’s vines are the lowest yielding of all of their Old Vine Zinfandel vineyards." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent, April 2024
Tasting Notes
The 2022 Hartford Vineyard is an elegant and powerful Zinfandel with blackberry, boysenberry and allspice aromas, which are echoed on the palate. Black cherry flavors are balanced by subtle fennel and dried herb notes alongside a spicy, cinnamon stick finish. The well-integrated tannins extend the complex flavors, giving the wine great length.
Historic Acclaim
2022: 96 Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
2021: 93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2019: 95 Points Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2018: 95 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
2018: 94 Points Wine Enthusiast
2017 95 Points Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2017: 94 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
2017: 92 Points Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
2016: 95 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
2015: 95 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
2015: 93 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
2014: 95 Points Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
2014: 94 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
2013: 95 points Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
2013: 94 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous
2011: 93 points Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
2011: 92 points Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
2009: 90 points Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
2009: 92 points Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
2008: 95 points Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
2007: 93 points Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
2007: 92 points Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
2006: 90 points Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
2006: 90 points Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
2004: 91 points Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
Vineyard & Vintage Character
Hartford Family Winery proprietors Don and Jenny Hartford tend this 100+-year-old vineyard located on seven acres along Wood Road in the Russian River AVA of Sonoma County. The vineyard is head-pruned and produces low yields of about 1 ton / acre. Most vines produce only several clusters of intensely flavored grapes each year. Wood Road has well-drained, low fertility, sandy loam soils about two to three feet in depth over deeper layers of compacted sandy loam of about four to six inches. Since the Italian immigrants who planted the Wood Road Vineyard in the early 1900s wanted to ensure long vine life and moisture for their dry-farmed vines, they placed a blasting cap where each vine was to be planted and blasted through the compacted layer. Today we continue to enjoy the fruits of their ingenuity and celebrate the legacy of "dynamite" Zinfandels. The Hartford Vineyard has also been farmed using organic and biodynamic practices since 2004.
Wine Details
Oak: 100% French oak, 42% new
Time in Oak: 10 months
Alcohol: 15.4%
TA: 7.2 g/L
pH: 3.36
Cases produced: 265
Yeast: Native
Unfined and unfiltered