Retro’s 2018 Zinfandel from Chiles Valley is lifted, nimble, and floral. Zinfandel’s typical notes of strawberry jam and black pepper are still there, but they are packaged in a medium bodied wine with bright acidity, showing beautiful notes of roses and violets. And while the alcohol still hovers around 15% (it is still Zinfandel, after all), you’d never know it, as the alcohol is seamlessly integrated with the fruit and tannin. This may just be one of my all-time favorite Zinfandels.
Retro Cellars, Chiles Valley – Napa Valley (California) Zinfandel 2018
By John McDermott