Zinfandel in Amador dates back to the gold rush. Amador County teemed with pioneers thirsty for fortune and wine reminiscent of their home. After the booming Gold Rush, Amador’s population numbers collapsed like an old mine shaft and many of Amador’s Zinfandel vineyards were replaced with prune and walnut orchards or pasture land for sheep and cattle. Happily there was enough demand for Zinfandel from the families of these immigrants that some Zin remained. The Deaver 100 Year Old Vine Zinfandel Vineyard was planted in 1881 by the Davis family. In the teens, the Deaver family inherited the vineyard through marriage. Today the Deaver family owns and farms hundreds of acres of Amador vineyard, including a fourteen acre piece of the original Davis vineyard.
There are many things that make old vine zinfandel singular and exceptional. As vines mature they become self regulating. Vines produce less, more concentrated fruit, without extensive pruning or crop thinning. The dry farmed vine’s roots continue to grow deeper into the soil as years pass and pull water and nutrients from multiple soil layers. The relationship between the Trinchero family of Montevina and the Deaver family stemmed in the 1960’s over a passion for Amador Zinfandel, and has since been one of loyalty and mutual respect ever since.
The limited amount of fruit that does come off the vineyard is handled with great care. . The fruit is hand picked into small valley bins and driven one mile to the winery to be crushed. Juice is bled from the hopper, a French process called saignee, before crushing. This maximizes the skin to juice ratio ensuring optimum color, structure and complexity. . Dry farmed and old vines tend to use all their energy ripening and can be a little under-nourished when they reach the winery; and yeast needs some of these nutrients to complete fermentation. After decades of working with this now unique clone of zinfandel (Deaver is an official recognized zinfandel clone), we have isolated certain strains of yeast that can get the job done. After gentle pressing the wine is evenly divided into first year American, French, and neutral small oak barrels.
Montevina 2005 Terra d’Oro Deaver 100 Year Old Vine Zinfandel is a balance of beauty, power, and grace. The deep eggplant hue suggests the richness and concentration in your glass. Dark berry flavors are touched with pretty floral aromas and kissed with sweet caramel oak. Truly a Granddaddy among zins, Terra d’Oro Deaver Vineyard 100 Year Old Vine Zinfandel has a complexity that can only be attained from over a century of experiences.
