The People
This label was produced by New Frontier Wine Company, a culmination of innovators and artisans from around the globe, with the heritage of some of Napa’s finest terroirs. Each winemaker is a mysterious creative force – Michel Rolland, Philippe Melka, Maayan Koschitzky, Matt Sands, Alberto Antonini, Joe Shebl, and Juan Pablo Murgia. New Frontier brings forth more than a dozen of the finest wines imaginable to your door – most have been allocated only or only available overseas until now.
The Juice
90% Zinfandel and 10% Petite Sirah, this wine is sourced from Renwood Ranch. Drinkable now and better in five years, or hold as long as 15 years for a full mature Zinfandel experience. The Grandpère Zinfandel’s winemakers are Alberto Antonini and Joe Shebl. Not much else is known about the production of this label, but whatever the process was, this bottle does not disappoint.
The Dirt
Situated in the picturesque Amador County of Northern California, Renwood is surrounded by the rolling hills and rushing streams of California’s gold country. Renwood was established in 1993 and is one of the most respected wine producers in the Sierra Foothills. The goal is to create world-class wines that are approachable, delicious, and appealing to the senses while representing the soils in which they grew.
The Taste
The Zinfandel has a deep purple color right to the rim. Aromatically, this has dark black fruits like mulberry, boysenberry, blueberry, and black-skinned plums, all fresh, without a hint of raisin. Cedar and some new oak, fresh tobacco, and vanilla top off the nose, and there’s a seriousness to the complex blending here. Low, restricted yields in the “top of blocks 2 and 3” portion of the vineyard create a real concentration of the flavors. The mouth has a not-so-subtle weightiness, rich blackberry pie, allspice, warm green earth and bricks, sweet herbs, and crushed berries. The finish grips a little more than the Estate Ranch, and the Petite Sirah provides a powerful push to give the wine more lift, intensity, and length.
The Spill
New Frontier Wine Company is easily one of the largest winemakers we have ever highlighted. With eight winemakers and eight different vineyards, the scope of this company is vast. A few months ago, we featured another one of their wines – the 2019 Pursuit Cabernet Sauvignon, another tasty piece. A takeaway about this producer of wine is that a bigger company does not necessarily mean a less devoted team or lower-quality bottles. If the 2019 Pursuit and this 2021 Renwood are any indication, their winemakers are knowledgeable, talented, and serious. Their vineyards are highly suitable for some damn good grapes.
