Can you tell I love Amador and the many Sierra Wine Regions? Once again we found ourselves back in Sutter Creek, California – partly to see how it fared from all the surrounding fires. The other reason was we just love this charming historic gold rush town. But I had a mission. I made a beeline to a wine tasting room I had yet to try. That was Yorba Wines.
Yorba Wines Zinfandel
I loved their story. The family comes from a long history of farming. Antonio Yorba arrived in California in 1769 with the Portola Expedition, the first recorded Spanish exploration and land acquisition in California. He stayed on raising grain and cattle. As time passed, the family’s descendants became orange growers. This eventually moved into wine grape growing and wine making, always using Yorba as the brand name in honor of their family’s history.
Ultimately the family’s descendants were drawn to the Amador wine region. Just a few miles east of Sutter Creek, Ann Kraemer found and fell in love with a beautiful piece of property, the historic Oneto Family Ranch. It was so pretty it was hard for her to imagine planting a vineyard. Never the less, in 2001 Ann Kraemer teamed up with her father, a longtime citrus grower, to buy the property for the sole purpose of creating a vineyard. Yorba Wines was now a reality.
In keeping with Ann Kraemer’s philosophy; “It’s all in the details, it all begins in the vineyard. To get a great wine, you need great grapes,” she has been crafting exquisite wines. All this history, effort and philosophy have earned Ann a reputation for producing superb wine grapes. Well over 20 vintners of note are more than eager to buy what she has to offer. In fact, some of Yorba’s wines are featured on the wine list of the prestigious French Laundry in Napa Valley. Now that is someone with a passion for her craft.
This is what the winemaker has to say about their Yorba Wines Zinfandel:
“The Sierra Foothills provide the ideal growing conditions for Zinfandel, and 2009 was no exception, allowing the Zinfandel to develop intense aromas and color while maintaining great acidity. At harvest, the berries tasted just like wild blackberries, and the wine follows through on that promise. Brambly, wild blackberries are followed by juicy notes of red raspberries and ripe cherries with a touch of spice on the finish. This is a very balanced Zinfandel with great structure and elegance.”
You can find this indulgence on their website and at any good wine purveyor. Just ask.
My mission was accomplished, and it was a thrill to try this amazing Yorba Wines Zinfandel in one of my favorite places. One thing is for sure, I’ll be back. I just hope I have enough room in my wine chiller for what I know I’ll be bringing home. Cheers.
If you enjoyed learning about this “Yorba Wines Zinfandel,” check out OZV Zinfandel, Fiddletown Cellars Old Wine Zinfandel, and Perry Creek Winery Cougar Hill Zinfandel.
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