Gamba Family Ranches Zinfandel

Tasting notes & discussion 51

A Look at Gamba

Typically $59/bottle from Gamba Vineyards and Winery
Vintage 2021 from the Russian River Valley
Available for AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY
Sold by participating winery or licensee, fulfilled by Wine Country Connect

About Gamba Vineyards and Winery: “Every Gamba Zinfandel is an individual expression of the vineyard with each unique vintage. The limited-production, handcrafted wines are a tribute to the art of farming as much as they are to generations of traditional Old World winemaking. As the few remaining old-vine vineyards slowly continue to disappear from the landscape, Gamba holds dear and strives to preserve what is quickly becoming a limited commodity: truly Old Vine Zinfandel.”

Vino Da Gamba

TASTING NOTES: “Our 2021 Family Ranches Zinfandel is another in an extensive line of exquisite examples of this mouth- watering cuvee of small historic blocks of Zinfandel selected from several Russian River Valley ranches. The color is bold and vibrant garnet, nearly opaque. The wine offers compelling notes of black licorice, spiced tea leaves, raspberry, and allspice, with subtle notes of fresh anise on the nose. This dark yet lively and balanced wine is lovely in appearance swirling in the glass with its lavender-edge tones, exhibiting compelling aromas. Mouth filling dark berry notes fill the palate, followed by an array of brown spices that dazzle the senses. The 2021 vintage offers notes of lush Bing cherries, raspberry, cola, and leathery notes and textures. Medium to full in body, the 2021 Family Ranches Zinfandel sports a mouth-watering acidity and mild tannins that add appeal to this engaging wine.“

VARIETALS: 100% Zinfandel

BARRELS: 18 months in 80% French and 20% American oak.

PAIRS WITH: N/A

THAT REMINDS ME OF: The viola da gamba!

A very confusing instrument. Family of instruments. Not because it looks weird, but because they can be so close to things like violins and cellos… and yet they’re not. No, the viola da gamba, or viol family, is its own thing, developed earlier and I guess separately.

Unlike the violin family of instruments, the gamba have flat backs and sloped shoulders. Some of them have frets, like a guitar. Most have more than four strings, sometimes up to seven. The tunings could be different. The holes are different.

And, AND. You place all of them between your legs. Upright. Like you would a cello. Even the small ones. So yeah. Give it up for the gamba!

Who's buying this?

How are you buying your bottles?

Do you prefer old vine Zinfandels to, I guess, new vine Zinfandels?

For sure

For sure
Generally

Generally
Not really

Not really
They're different beasts, in a way

They're different beasts, in a way
Other (comment in the discussion)

Other (comment in the discussion)

44 votes