1995 Bridgehead Zinfandel Label Cline Cellars
1995 Bridgehead Zinfandel
Contra Costa County

Technical Notes
1995 Bridgehead Zinfandel
Contra Costa County
HARVEST DATE: 9 & 10 September
BRIX AT HARVEST: 24.0 to 24.9
TOTAL ACIDITY: 0.71g/100ml
FINAL pH: 3.38
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 0.025g/100ml
ALCOHOL: 14.0%


VINTAGES NOTES
1995 was an exceptionally long growing season in California. A wet winter and cool summer months allowed for ample water in our dry-farmed Contra Costa County vineyards as well as an even ripening, preserving intense varietal flavor and fine acid structure. Harvest was particularly late, and the added hang time lent our wines an incredible level of concentration. For Cline Cellars, 1995 is another in a string of exceptional vintages and will be noted for wines of intense, forward fruit.
VINEYARDS
The Bridgehead Vineyard, named for Bridgehead Road that runs adjacent to this treasured block, consistently produces one of our most individual and refined lots of Zinfandel. Planted by Italian immigrants well before the turn of the century, the Bridgehead Vineyard in Oakley, California is among this country's most historic. Ancient, 100 plus year old head-trained vines, dry-farming and sandy soils combine with a unique band of cooling air from the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers that favors Bridgehead Vineyard to create an incredible synergy of elements for expressing the unique character of this site.
FERMENTATION AND AGING
In 1995, grapes from the Bridgehead Vineyard were harvested at high natural sugar levels and treated in the cellar with kid gloves to emphasize the explosive fruit characteristic of the block. The fruit was almost entirely destemmed and lightly crushed, with a large proportion of whole berries remaining in the must. Fermentation occurred at moderate temperatures in stainless steel tanks, using a selection of cultured yeasts. Pressed off its skins at dryness, the Bridgehead Zin was minimally handled before being put down to barrel, further accentuating the power and freshness of its dark fruit. The wine was aged for 14 months in a combination of new and used oak before bottling--approximately 25% new American. A small amount of Mourvedre was added to the final blend for structure and back bone.
WINEMAKER'S COMMENTS
The Bridgehead Vineyard Zinfandel is consistently the most refined and elegant of the several Zins that we produce. In 1995, the wine is firm and deep with ripe, dusty wild berry character, chocolate aromas and spicy pepperiness. Benefiting from a fine-grained structure of balanced acids and tannins, the wine will age beautifully for well over a decade. It's claret-like style will complement wonderfully a medium rare roast beef.

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