PRODUCER: Sobon Estate
REGION: Sierra Foothills, California, USA
WINEMAKERS: Paul Sobon
WINERY HISTORY
The Sierra Foothills is, nowadays, something of a winemaking backwater relative to the famous regions closer to the coast (Sonoma, The Napa Valley etc), but at the start of California’s wine story it was the place to be. The ‘49ers had made their way to the foothills in the mid-1800s, prospecting for gold in Amador County and the surrounding area and working up a thirst while they were at it. A Swiss immigrant called Adam Uhlinger was one of the earliest to plant vineyards in the area (1856) in order to service this growing local market.
The end of the gold rush and resulting decline in population put many wineries out of business, but not Uhlinger. When the family eventually sold the land to the d’Agostini family in 1911, their vineyards were considered among the finest in the county. After seeing out prohibition (they got dispensation to sell sacramental wine thanks to their connections to the church) the d’Agostinis continued to make wine until 1989 when they sold to their neighbours the Sobon family, who added the land to the estate they had been farming since 1977. Stewarded first by Shirley and Leon Sobon and now by son Paul, the Sobon’s made a wise investment, securing one of California's great old vine vineyards on the site of America's oldest operating winery.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
The Sobon’s knew what they were buying – vineyards that were planted in the early 1900s and located at high elevation (many of them around 2000ft above sea-level), yielding some of the best Zinfandel, Carignane and Petite Sirah in California. The Sobon’s are vociferous supporters of their natural environment. Sustainable farming has been the name of the game since their first harvests, employing complementary plantings, beneficial bugs, and natural growing techniques to encourage the health of their vineyards. Winemaking is natural, Paul having learned a plethora of techniques while training at acclaimed vineyards in Bordeaux and South Africa. This allows him to fully express the true flavours and aromas of each grape variety, as well as the soil in which they are grown.
The Rocky Top Vineyard, with vines planted in 1926, produces a full-bodied, rich, and spicy Zinfandel that retains freshness and acidity to give it a perfect balance. It is blended with a little Carignan and Petite Sirah and bottled after 18 months in a mix of French and American oak. Their entry level Zinfandel - under their Shenandoah Vineyards label - is aged in neutral barrels for 9 months before release. It is medium-bodied, bright, and fresh with vibrant red fruit character.
