2003 Rhodes Vineyard Cuvée Isabel

The Rhodes Vineyard is farmed without the use of pesticides and herbicides. Nutrients are added through the use of composts, ground cover, and foliar sprays. The trellising varies between bi-lateral cordon and head pruned vines, both being drip irrigated.

Redwood Valley, located in Mendocino County, has a strong coastal influence. The ocean breezes can drop the temperature 50 degrees F between day and night. This helps create a long growing season, which makes Rhodes one of the latest Zinfandels to be picked.

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Varietals:	39% Zinfandel, 35% Petite Syrah, and 26% Syrah
Appellation:	Redwood Valley
Alcohol:	15.6%
Comments:	As with one's child, they change, they want to express themselves a bit differently, become more independent and show what they can do. Isabel is now five and as she has changed, we wanted to let the wine express this also. This year we decided to let the vineyard express itself and produce the wine thus not being held back to making this wine a Zinfandel. A blend varietals from the Rhodes includes old vine Petite Syrah, old vine Zinfandel and the introduction of Syrah has produced a wine that shows the darker side of the Rhodes Vineyard more then ever before. The wine still has that blackberry pie filling in a cinnamon crust, but just a touch more on the wild side. This wine is a true reflection of the wonderment of childhood.
Reviews:	Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s The Wine Advocate: 92 points An innovative, quasi-Rhône Ranger blend of 35% Petite Sirah, 26% Syrah and 39% Zinfandel, this is my favorite wine of this portfolio for current drinking. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by luscious, heady, sweet black cherry, raspberry, and black currant aromas and flavors interwoven with spice box, pepper, and licorice. This is an opulent, voluptuously textured, rich, heady, hedonistic red to enjoy over the next 5-7 years.
	James Laube, Wine Spectator: 91 pts Ripe, high-toned fruit focuses on firm yet generous blackberry, wild berry, boysenberry and black cherry. Intense and concentrated, it showcases delicious dark fruit flavors in a notably elegant and pleasurable style. A cuvée of most Zinfandel (39 percent), Petite Syrah (35 percent) and Syrah (26 percent). Drink now through 2010.
Expanded Notes:	PDF Printable Version