WARNING: Drinking distilled spirits, beer,
coolers, wine and other alcoholic
beverages may increase cancer risk, and
during pregnancy, can cause birth defects.
For more information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol .
2019 Maitre de Chai "Stampede Vineyard" Zinfandel
In 1942, the first Clements Stampede and Horseshow was held. It was a purely non-professional round up and it drew a crowd of 1,500. Right next door to this old rodeo grounds is the Stampede Vineyard.
Planted in the 1940s, the Stampede Vineyard is an own-rooted Zinfandel planting in the toe-hills of the Sierra Nevada mountains within Lodi’s Clements Hills AVA. With soils composed of decomposed granite, the Stampede Vineyard lies on a parcel that overlooks an old riverbed on one side, and the Clements Stampede rodeo grounds on the other. Jeff and John Perlegos impeccably farm the vineyard, and we have Chris Cottrell and Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock Wine Co. to thank for introducing us to the vineyard and the Perlegos Family.
The model for the wine we have produced from this vineyard is an ode to the style of Paul Draper of Ridge Vineyards—one of the most influential wineries in California's history. The balance and finesse Paul has been known to employ on the field blends and old vine plantings for Ridge throughout the years has been the leading inspiration for this wine. The wine is fermented with its native yeasts in a mix of open top, whole cluster and barrel fermentations. The wine aged in neutral cask for 11 months. Three puncheons and 12 barrels produced.