The 2003 Zinfandel Tom Feeney Ranch is one of those wines that makes you say “wow!” A blend of 91% Zinfandel and 9% varietals such as Alicante Bouchet and Petite Sirah from a vineyard planted in 1926, it is an extraordinarily intense Zinfandel with a nose of lavender, black cherries, and other dark fruits. Almost primordial, but seamlessly put together, full-bodied, voluptuous, and rich, this knock-out Zinfandel is as good as this varietal can be. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. A “good feeling” story is that of Mike Officer, a home winemaker who began his own winery, Carlisle, in 1998, while he was still working as a software developer. The huge success he enjoyed among his mailing list customers, who quickly recognized his dedication to serious winemaking from old vineyard sites, allowed him to abandon his software career to become a full-time owner and winemaker. These are all big, but incredibly well-balanced, fresh wines. Officer is not afraid to push ripeness to the edge, but, remarkably, the wines are never over the top, revealing tremendous textures, aromatics, and ripeness. He has become one of the top three or four Zinfandel producers in northern California, and also demonstrates a sure hand with Syrah and some of the old field blends planted by Italian immigrants over a century ago. Tel. (707) 566-7700; Fax (707) 566-7200