The Story
Armor Plate is a treasure: a tiny dry-farmed, organically tended block of Sonoma Valley Zinfandel planted in the 1890s, now 130-plus years old, owned by the Hamel family (a viticulture client of Steve's). Located in volcanic alluvium near Glen Ellen, the vines deliver Zinfandel that looks nothing like the jammy stereotype. Matthiasson ferments half whole cluster, half destemmed, presses after 14 days on the skins, and ages the wine in neutral Burgundy barrels for 10 months. The result is earthy, crunchy, and savory — strawberry, raspberry, plum, and quince wrapped in plush, fine-grained tannin. This is old-vine Sonoma Zinfandel as it should be: light on its feet, deeply rooted in place.
Description
Armor Plate is a treasure: a tiny dry-farmed, organically tended block of Sonoma Valley Zinfandel planted in the 1890s, now 130-plus years old, owned by the Hamel family (a viticulture client of Steve's). Located in volcanic alluvium near Glen Ellen, the vines deliver Zinfandel that looks nothing like the jammy stereotype. Matthiasson ferments half whole cluster, half destemmed, presses after 14 days on the skins, and ages the wine in neutral Burgundy barrels for 10 months. The result is earthy, crunchy, and savory — strawberry, raspberry, plum, and quince wrapped in plush, fine-grained tannin. This is old-vine Sonoma Zinfandel as it should be: light on its feet, deeply rooted in place.
