Maitre de Chai Stampede Zinfandel 2023

This comes from the Stampede Vineyard, planted in the 1920, 25 miles northeast of Lodi in the village of Clements. (The vineyard is adjacent to the Clements Buckaroos Rodeo Grounds, home to the country's largest amateur rodeo, The Clements Stampede.) It is dry farmed and a field blend of mostly Zinfandel and ten total varieties including Mission, Grenache, Alicante Bouschet, Carignane, Syrah and Tokay. This opens with a mix of black cherry, spice, a hit of cocoa, and deep raspberry liquer. On the palate this has a core of deep black fruits nicely balanced by spice, minerality and just there oak. - D&M TASTING NOTES (MK, 04/2026)

CRITICAL ACCLAIM:

"The 2023 Zinfandel from the Stampede Vineyard is a powerful, deep wine. Varietal notes are dialed up to the maximum in this rich, heady red. Small berries in a late-ripening vintage yielded an unusually dense Zinfandel for this vineyard on the eastern edge of Lodi. The 2023 spent 11 months in neutral 500L puncheons, with no racking until bottling." - 93 PTS, ANTONIO GALLONI, VINOUS MEDIA