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Sky Vineyards Mt Veeder Zinfandel 2017
Sky Vineyards was founded in 1973 by Lore Olds, who purchased a remote property near the summit of Mount Veeder after working at Beaulieu Vineyard and Mayacamas. The estate remains tiny and highly traditional, with just 14 acres planted at about 2,100 feet, making it one of the highest vineyards on Mount Veeder. Zinfandel is the historic focus. The site’s eastern exposure, intense daytime sun and cool, fog influenced evenings produce a notably structured, ageworthy style rather than the riper, softer profile often associated with California zinfandel.
The vines grow in rugged red volcanic soils and have been farmed organically for well over a decade. The vineyard is dry farmed, permanent cover crops are maintained, and birds and beneficial insects are encouraged as part of the estate’s low impact approach. Everything is harvested by hand. Fermentation takes place in open top one ton bins, with manual punchdowns three times daily, followed by pressing in a traditional basket press. Élevage is in seasoned French oak barrels, generally ranging from one to ten years old, so oak influence remains firmly in the background.
The 2017 is a particularly poignant vintage: the Wine Country fires destroyed the Olds family home and damaged portions of the vineyard, although the estate survived and continued producing wine. The Zinfandel reflects Sky’s old school mountain style, with concentrated fruit framed by firm acidity, tannin and pronounced savory character. Despite the warmth of the site, the elevation and cool nights give the wine considerable freshness and the structure to age unusually well for zinfandel.
The wine shows black raspberry and blackberry with violet, black pepper, dried herbs and earthy, smoky notes. The palate is concentrated and structured rather than jammy, with lively acidity and firm but mature tannins. With nearly a decade of bottle age, the 2017 should now be developing additional leather, dried fruit and savory complexity while retaining the mineral grip characteristic of Mount Veeder.
