2003 Iron Hill Vineyard Zinfandel

Located at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountain range, Iron Hill Vineyard is adjacent to Arrowhead Mountain Vineyard. The area in which it's located used to be called Iron Hill due to the deposits of iron from the volcanic rock, producing a reddish soil. The iron rich, red volcanic soil is the unique feature to this vineyard's terroir.

When the vineyard was planted, over 200 tons of volcanic rock had to be removed. This was made even more difficult by the fact that the vineyard is located on a 43-degree slope. As with Arrowhead Mountain Vineyard, everything is farmed by hand, with weeds pulled by backhoe. The soil is fed with dolomite, compost, bone meal, fishmeal, kelp, fish oil, and calcium. No sulphur is used in the vineyard. Every section is treated a little differently due to different soil composition within the vineyard.

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Varietals:	97.5% Zinfandel, 2.5% Petite Syrah
Appellation:	Sonoma Valley
Alcohol:	16.0%
Comments:	Down the street from Arrowhead Mountain, this is also another zinfandel that dreams of being in the Northern Rhône. Grown also in nonexistent soils and 45-50 degree slopes, this wine is more in the line of a blend of Hermitage and Cornas, but screaming to show off its zinfandel heritage. Black cherry, plums, cola and crème de frambois wrapped in a mineral and smoky spice blanket. It's pure decadence.
Reviews:	Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s The Wine Advocate: 94 points This wine reveals an even more saturated ruby/purple color as well as impressive levels of rich, briery, concentrated, sweet fruit (raspberries, cherries, blueberries), plenty of pepper, a distinctive, earthly terroir component, and a spicy, full-bodied finish with tart acidity providing uplift. It is a classic, high octane, gorgeous Zinfandel to drink over the next 5-6 years.
	James Laube Wine Spectator: 87 points A dense, hearty, mouth-puckering Zinfandel, with lots of cracked pepper, wild berry and blackberry fruit that's intense and concentrated and firmly tannic. Drink now through 2009.
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