Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Estate Eastern Exposures Zinfandel, Napa Valley, USA 2018

The cool eastern exposures of a volcanic hillside overlooking Mt. St. Helena produced this gold standard of Napa Valley red wine. Tastings Editor Corey Warren described its scent as California forest, citrus, blackberry and herb. That distinctly California-woodlands scent appeared in my own notes as madrone, pine and wild blueberry. This is a savory red, all about brisk and bold tension in its structure and freshness in its fruit. The lively interplay of floral, herbal, fruity and umami is a window into the complexity this wine will develop with age.