Marietta Cellars is one of my favorite domestic producers, and their 2021 Roman Zinfandel showcases Scott Bilbro's mastery of Red Zin.
An insane value in 95 point-rated, estate-grown, certified organic Red Zinfandel, the '21 version of this wine is clicking on all cylinders. It was Robert Parker's Wine Advocate that gave it that 95 point rating, and they don't hand out scores willy-nilly....
2021 Marietta Cellars Roman Zinfandel
95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
ORDER NOW in our online store.
Since taking over operations for his father Chris in 2012, Scott Bilbro has taken Marietta Cellars to new heights. I fondly remember a lunch with him in Healdsburg a few years back, and I immediately recognized that he was just as much a farmer as he was a winemaker. In fact, he had to cut out after 2 hours for a "date with his tractor."
This is a testament to the fact that the best wines are always estate-grown. That means the producer owns their vineyards, farms them, harvests them, and makes wines from them in their own facilities. Quality control from vineyard to bottle, and that's what you get here and with every bottle of wine that Marietta Cellars produces.
Their Roman Zinfandel is named after their longtime cellar master Roman Cisneros, who has been with Marietta for over 30 years. Composed of grapes from their Angeli Estate in Alexander Valley as well as their McDowell Valley vineyards, this is truly an old vine Zin with serious character. Some of the vines are over 100 years old, all the farming is done organically, and the finished wine is a huge success.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate summed it up quite well, and I have nothing to add. "The 2021 Román Zinfandel is juicy, alluring and easy to drink without sacrificing complexity, offering tremendous quality for its modest price. Blended with 4% Petite Sirah and 4% Barbera, the nose is bursting with kaleidoscopic yellow peaches, strawberries and raspberries plus nuances of sage, aniseed and Angostura bitters. The medium-bodied palate has a finely chalky frame, fireworks of fresh acidity and generous layers of spicy fruit that call you back for another sip. Drink through 2034."
Need a world-class, value-priced, 95 point-rated Zin for Thanksgiving? You're going to want to act fast on this! Despite the fact that I bought every bottle my distributor had (14 cases), this will be gone in a flash.
ORDER NOW in our online store.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville