2003 Zinfandel
Dry Creek Valley.
Tastes of strawberry and raspberry fruits with hints of vanilla and spice.

2003 Zinfandel

Dry Creek Valley

The 2003 Dry Creek Zinfandel is the sixth vintage for Christopher Creek Winery. We produced this wine by fermenting the grapes in small open top tanks with two punch downs daily to every “pump over.” After two weeks, the wine was transferred to a mixture of 65% American oak and 35% French oak barrels (25% of the barrels were new oak). Classical Dry Creek Zin in style, the wine exhibits a medium-dark ruby hue, with forward strawberry and raspberry jammy fruit, hints of vanilla, white pepper, spice and a mouth feel that lingers. While still quite young, this intense, perfectly balanced and bright wine is remarkably approachable with medium tannins and an aging potential of about 3-to-4 years. The wine pairs wonderfully with risotto, pasta, turkey, duck, lamb or chicken.

Harvested September 2003
Released January 2005
3.0 tons/acre
Aged in French oak barrels
570 cases produced

2003 Vintage

Gold Medal—Tasters Guild International, May 2005

2002 Vintage

Long Beach Grand Cru, August 2004
Chairman's Award (Best of Class)—Riverside International Wine Competition, April 2004
Gold Medal—Grand Harvest Awards, February 2004
Gold Medal—Jerry Mead's New World International Wine Competition, February 2004
Silver Medal—Florida State Fair Wine Competition, February 2004
Silver Medal—San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, January 2004
Silver Medal—California State Fair, June 2004

2001 Vintage

Gold Medal—San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, February 2003
San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 Wines list, December 2003
Silver Medal—Florida State Fair Wine Competition, February 2003
Silver Medal—West Coast Wine Competition, April 2003
Silver Medal—Tasters Guild International, May 2003
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Selections, August 28, 2003. Comments: “Excellent, layered aromas of lavender, chocolate, raspberry and herb with touches of earth and oak; cherry, raspberry, orange flavors; soft tannins, nicely balanced.”

2000 Vintage

Gold Medal—Grand Harvest Awards, 2002
5 Silver Medals

1999 Vintage

Best of Class—New World International Wine Competition
Gold Medal—Orange County Fair

1998 Vintage

“Best Red Wine"—California North Coast Wine Competition (out of 682 wines)