Vinification notes:
Fruit from the Belle Canyon ranch was destemmed and crushed before it was soaked on petite sirah skins for color and tannin. The fruit was fermented in a submerged cap tank with pumpovers being performed twice daily. The wine was pressed at dryness after 16 days of primary fermentation. The wine was aged for 16 months in a combination of French and American oak, with 20% new barrels.

Sensory Notes:
This wine is our most exclusive vineyard designate zinfandel and its reputation is well deserved. On the nose, the wine yields sultry notes of blackcurrant and cherry liqueur. This wine is seductively soft on the palate, with flavors of ripe boysenberry and cola followed by gentle earthy tannins. The satin-smooth finish exhibits rich espresso and vanilla notes and does not depart quickly. Enjoy this intense zinfandel for the next 6-7 years.

Vineyard Notes:
The Belle Canyon ranch is a small 15 acre parcel on the eastern edge of the Dry Creek valley. It is a hillside vineyard planted with vigorous 17 year old vines. The canyon itself experiences intense summer heat in the days but cools down quickly at night. This provides us with extremely rip fruit, possessing a good balance of sugar and acid. This is Bella’s smallest property and its unique character provides some of the best fruit we harvest.

Vintage Synopsis:
2006 was a challenging but rewarding harvest season. Cooler temperatures made for a prolonged harvest that allowed the grapes to develop deep, rich flavor and color. The brief threat of rain in early October put growers on the alert, but with some moderate thinning and cluster sorting, an excellent vintage was had by zinfandel producers throughout the valley. At Bella, we were very happy with the wines resulting from the 2006 vintage. A good balance of sugar and acid in the fruit yielded dark, complex wines that rank among the best we have ever released.

Strictly limited production. Only 600 cases produced.