De Loach, `California Collection` Zinfandel

Established in 1973 by Cecil De Loach, a firefighter from San Francisco, De Loach was purchased by Burgundian Jean-Claude Boisset in 2003. His son Jean-Charles Boisset saw similarities between the Russian River Valley and his native Burgundy, recognising the region's potential for producing fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. After acquiring the estate, one of his first decisions was to convert the seven hectares of vineyard surrounding the winery to biodynamic farming.

Head winemaker Brian Maloney, who has worked at De Loach since 2003, proved instrumental in evolving De Loach by exploring different soils across the Russian River Valley and focusing on high-quality, small-lot winemaking.

The ‘California Collection’ wines offer superb value and quality. They are certified sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) with fruit sourced from like-minded partner growers in the Delta region. Here, the cooling influence of the Sacramento River promotes gradual ripening and preserves the grapes’ natural acidity. De Loach’s Russian River Chardonnay is fermented in a combination of stainless-steel tanks and concrete (30%), as well as French oak barrels (70%), of which 10% were new. The barrel-fermented portion of this wine was then aged for 10 months after undergoing malolactic fermentation. The result displays enticing aromas of white peach and brioche, with well-balanced acidity on the palate. In keeping with the estate’s Burgundian heritage, the Russian River Pinot Noir is vinified in open-top wood fermenters and then aged in French oak for 12 months (primarily second, third and fourth use). The wine is multi-layered with fine tannins and bright acidity.