Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
Pagani Ranch lies along Highway 12 near Kenwood in the Sonoma Valley AVA and was formerly part of Wildwood Dairy Farm. Felice Pagani acquired the property in the late 1880s, when only a few vines were established. The 12.1 ha site now consists mainly of roughly century-old vines rooted in gravelly clay loam on rolling, east-facing slopes. The oldest vines date to the 1880s, while most blocks were established by 1922.
The dry-farmed, head-trained Zinfandel blocks are interspersed with Alicante Bouschet. Their narrow rows are better suited to horses than tractors, so most vineyard work is performed by hand.
Grapes
The 2020 blend is 98% Zinfandel and 2% Alicante Bouschet.
Vinification
The fruit was hand-picked, sorted and destemmed into small open-top stainless-steel fermentors. A pneumatically assisted plunger was used for punch-down cap management. Fermentation continued on skins for 9–15 days before the wines were drained to barrel to complete malolactic fermentation.
Ageing
The wine spent 16 months in barrel: 5% new French oak and 95% neutral French and American oak. Components were blended after eight months and returned to barrel for a further six months to integrate.
Technical data
2020: 15% alcohol, pH 3.59, total acidity of 6.4 g/L and production of 2,350 cases.
Tasting profile
Sarsaparilla, dried sage and pastry crust fill the bouquet. The palate is rich and assertive, with vibrant acidity and fine tannins. Purple plum and briary blackberry persist into a long, supple finish.
Serving and pairing
Pair with tomato-based dishes: marinara enriched with sausage or pancetta, or pizza topped with fresh mozzarella and spicy coppa.
Vintage notes
Sonoma received about 55% of its average rainfall in 2020. Cool conditions in March and April brought late frost, followed by warm early-summer days and moderating coastal fog around véraison. A prolonged August heatwave and lightning storms preceded regional fires. Cooler weather after the smoke cleared allowed longer hang time and helped retain balanced acidity and sugar while the earlier heat intensified ripe-fruit character.
Label / history
Pagani Zinfandel pays tribute to one of Sonoma County's historic old-vine vineyards and the detailed handwork required by its narrow, traditionally planted rows.
