2013 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
Gold, 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Tasting Notes
The 2013 vintage shows dark garnet in the glass and has beautiful aromas of vanilla dried cherries and chocolate liqueur. In the mouth it is smooth with layered flavors of dark fruit, rich blackberries and a lingering finish that is sure to delight! This wine is a wonderful example of why the California’s Shenandoah Valley is renowned for Zinfandel. It is beautifully crafted to enjoy just a glass or pair with your favorite meal.
Specs
Vintage: 2013
Varietals: 100% Zinfandel
Appellation: Shenandoah Valley of California
Brix: 25
Barrel Regime: American Oak, 10 Months
Harvest Dates: 9/20/2013
Alcohol: 14.9%
2014 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
Gold, 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Tasting Notes
The 2014 vintage of the Fox Creek Zin continues to display all of the wonderful characteristics of the 100-year-old vineyard. Suggestive of black cherry cola and woodsy vanilla in aromas and flavors, this wine feels lush on the palate and tastes of ripe black cherry fruit. It is beautifully textured and the lingering finish leaves you wanting more. While gracefully aging, this wine shows no signs of fading, is ready to enjoy now and for years to come.
Specs
Vintage: 2014
Varietals: 100% Zinfandel
Appellation: Shenandoah Valley of California
Brix: 23.5
Barrel Regime: American Oak, 10 Months
Harvest Dates: 9/6/2014
Alcohol: 13.9%
2015 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
Tasting Notes
The 2015 vintage of the Fox Creek Zin is full bodied yet beautifully rounded with dense aromas of woodsy vanilla and tastes of ripe blackberries. While this wine shows younger than the others, it tastes of beautiful bright fruit balanced with hints of white pepper, vanilla and a delicious finish. This will be your “go to” wine for any day of the week and will be enjoyed for Pizza night and can be a beautiful complement to grilled chicken and your savory rib dinner.
Beautifully crafted to enjoy a bottle now or as reflected in the 2013 and 2014, is sure to be a cellar gem.
Specs
Vintage: 2015
Varietals: 100% Zinfandel
Appellation: Shenandoah Valley of California
Brix: 24
Barrel Regime: American Oak, 19 Months
Harvest Dates: 8/30/2015
Alcohol: 14.2%
Winemaker and Vintage Notes
These wines are wonderful examples of why Shenandoah Valley is renowned for Zinfandel. The grapes for this wine come from 100-year-old vines nestled in California’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley. This small valley is located between the towns of Jackson and Placerville in the foothills of the Sierras east of Sacramento. These hot dry hills were originally planted with grapes by pioneers who ended their 3,000 mile journeys here, and by prospectors who came later following the gold rush at the turn of the century.
The vertical of 2013, 2014 and 2015 Fox Creek Zinfandels present a delightful journey of the similarities and variations of the varietal, its character and ageability. You are sure to enjoy these wines in comparison to each other and individually.
Included in the Box
3-bottles:
1x - 2013 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
1x - 2014 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
1x - 2015 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
Case:
4x - 2013 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
4x - 2014 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
4x - 2015 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
Winery: Binz Wines
Location: The Sierra Foothills in Fiddletown, CA.
California Winemaker Gordon Binz and wife Virgie Giles-Binz display their passion for wine through the production of small lot and single vineyard wines that express the unique characters of the Sierra Foothills.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
@klezman@losthighwayz Excellent article, all good points. We do find American Oak pairs up nicely with this vineyard. Not all American Oak barrels are created equal. The variations of sources from Minnesota to Missouri to Pennsylvania or Kentucky all have different flavors. Add to that the air dry period and toasting method to tailor the barrel to fit your wine. Being less expensive is good too.
We tried both the 14 & 15 at the meetup last weekend.
2014
Clear deep red, medium bodied, slightly raisiny, with a bit of tartness. Didn’t notice the alcohol or much in the way of oak. Mostly strawberry/sweet red fruit profile. I didn’t particularly care for this bottle but found it a bit better with food as opposed to on its own.
2015
Clear medium red, medium bodied, I found the fruit more muted but not as extracted on this bottle. The primary note is still strawberry but definitely more muted and lighter. Got a slight nuttiness which may be from the cooperage. The wine was again like the 2014 a bit tart and oddly musty (best descriptor I have). The wine also had a slight syrupy quality to it.
Maybe lining up some cheaper California Zins against a bunch of Italian reds isn’t really fare deal but these didn’t show well for me. Hopefully others got a better impression.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2013-2015 Binz Zinfandel Vertical - $50 = 24.99%
89 Points. This wine is delicious in terms of late-harvested fruit flavors like boysenberry jam and raspberry syrup. It has full body, mild tannins and a mouthcoating texture. 2/1/19 JG
The 2014 and 2015 showed up in time to sample with last weekend’s SoCal gathering.
2014 Zinfandel
This seemed like a bit of a “classic jammy Zinfandel”, but somehow with enough acidity to hold it together. I found this to be more fruity and less interesting than the 2015. The aromas were a little too far into the vanilla range for my preferences, at least on night 1. The fruit was jammy red fruit and plums. Tannins were light. Slightly sweet finish (not RS - this is dry) focused on the fruit.
On night 2, after being recorked on the counter in the interim, it came together more. Nothing diminished the big and fruity character, however. A slight heat appeared on the finish for a while and then went away again. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the fruit took on a more raisined/dried quality as well.
This is not my preferred style of Zin, as it didn’t have much complexity and didn’t seem like it would age significantly. It is, however, a home run for those who like this style.
2015
I much preferred this vintage (which is surprising now that I see the harvest brix was higher). The aromas evoked the classic brambly Zin that I enjoy. I also detected anise. This was medium bodied and almost elegant on the palate, although with a slight bitterness on the finish. Not much tannin. Flavours were exactly what you’d expect given the aromas. After having a bit of air time I noticed some butterscotch aromas, which was slightly odd. Tannins also picked up a bit with air.
Night 2, this hadn’t changed much. I enjoyed drinking the rest of this alongside dinner and while putting together a presentation for work. I think this vintage will age and pick up some complexity for a few years yet.
The vintage variation is rather interesting. I wonder how that happened. It doesn’t seem like the harvest parameters were all that different, nor the oak regimes. The less obviously oaky vintage spend half the time in oak compared to the 2015.
After writing my notes I looked up the winery and was interested to learn that the owner/winemaker has a long and interesting history or working at Ridge, Sabatino/Renwood, etc. I do wish these were a bit more toward the style of the amazingly ageable Ridge Zins. 20+ year old Lytton Springs and Geyserville are amazing.
I went with the '15 first and immediately noticed black pepper prickliness that i am only recently starting to enjoy. It was a middle of the road Zin that i enjoyed.
Moving to the '14 was quite jarring. Totally different style, totally different texture. As Klezman states, it seems like it wasn’t even a similar bottle of wine. This was much fruitier, sweeter, oakier bottle. I didn’t like it.
I’m curious how the '13 ends up to those who may have received that one!
Binz Wines Fox Creek Vineyard Zinfandel 2015, Shenandoah Valley, California
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Fruity on the nose with blackberries, bing cherries, oak, licorice, vanilla, chocolates, dark coffee, spices and peppercorn.
Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blueberries, cherries, licorice, oak, vanilla, spices, peppercorn, dark coffee, tobacco leaf, earth and herbs.
Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cranberries.
This is a nice Zinfandel from the Sierra Foothills in California. Drinking nicely now and showing nice complexity with a great nose. Spicy and tangy on the mid palate.
Good by itself or with food. A good quality wine with a soft mouthfeel.
Needs 2 hours to open up properly as it is too acidic right out of the bottle, so be patient.
Will age nicely in the next 3 to 5 years.
A good sipping wine to have all by itself.
I paired it with a cheese plate and crackers.
100% Zinfandel grapes were aged for 19 months in French and American oak barrels.
Binz Wines Fox Creek Vineyard Zinfandel 2014, Shenandoah Valley, California
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Strong nose of blackberries, black currants, plums, bing cherries, red candy, mediterranean spices, wood, herbs, tobacco, licorice, vanilla, black tea, earth, leather, dark coffee, spices and black pepper. A very aromatic nose.
Full bodied and bold with medium plus acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with plums, black currants, coffee, oak, earth, vanilla, vinaigrette, tobacco leaf, peppercorn, spices, light bitter herbs, red chili powder and cloves.
Medium finish with soft tannins and tart cherries.
This is a nice a Zinfandel from California. A good quality wine and a good food wine.
Drinking nicely already, but would probably be better in a year or two.
Needs 2 hours to open up properly and remove some of the acidity.
The nose here is much nicer than the 2015 and more complex, but right now, I like the 2015 better.
I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.
100% Zinfandel grapes were aged for 10 months in French and American oak barrels.
So I received a labrat bottle… Unfortunately it spent 3 days in the back of a fedex truck, and it was definitely ruined when we opened it. I’ve updated the address so it won’t happen again, but I’m sorry to say that I do not have any tasting notes for this particular wine.
This is a great vineyard made into wine by one of Amador’s best winemakers. This is the original vineyard that made Montevina winery famous back in the 70’s and the first Zinfandel vineyard I ever made wine from working for Montevina back in 1974. I enjoy these wines. I’m in.
2013 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
Gold, 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Tasting Notes
Specs
2014 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
Gold, 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Tasting Notes
Specs
2015 Zinfandel, Fox Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley of California
Tasting Notes
Specs
Winemaker and Vintage Notes
These wines are wonderful examples of why Shenandoah Valley is renowned for Zinfandel. The grapes for this wine come from 100-year-old vines nestled in California’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley. This small valley is located between the towns of Jackson and Placerville in the foothills of the Sierras east of Sacramento. These hot dry hills were originally planted with grapes by pioneers who ended their 3,000 mile journeys here, and by prospectors who came later following the gold rush at the turn of the century.
The vertical of 2013, 2014 and 2015 Fox Creek Zinfandels present a delightful journey of the similarities and variations of the varietal, its character and ageability. You are sure to enjoy these wines in comparison to each other and individually.
Included in the Box
Price Comparison
346.00/case including shipping
About The Winery
Winery: Binz Wines
Location: The Sierra Foothills in Fiddletown, CA.
California Winemaker Gordon Binz and wife Virgie Giles-Binz display their passion for wine through the production of small lot and single vineyard wines that express the unique characters of the Sierra Foothills.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, October 3rd - Monday, October 7th
Binz Zinfandel Vertical
3 bottles for $49.99 $16.66/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $149.99 $12.50/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2013 Binz Zinfandel
2014 Binz Zinfandel
2015 Binz Zinfandel
Why American over French barrels? Cost? Style? Asking for a friend.
@losthighwayz This may answer your question: https://www.ridgewine.com/about/news/ridge-and-american-oak/
@klezman @losthighwayz Excellent article, all good points. We do find American Oak pairs up nicely with this vineyard. Not all American Oak barrels are created equal. The variations of sources from Minnesota to Missouri to Pennsylvania or Kentucky all have different flavors. Add to that the air dry period and toasting method to tailor the barrel to fit your wine. Being less expensive is good too.
/giphy undaunted-periodic-nerve
We tried both the 14 & 15 at the meetup last weekend.
2014
Clear deep red, medium bodied, slightly raisiny, with a bit of tartness. Didn’t notice the alcohol or much in the way of oak. Mostly strawberry/sweet red fruit profile. I didn’t particularly care for this bottle but found it a bit better with food as opposed to on its own.
2015
Clear medium red, medium bodied, I found the fruit more muted but not as extracted on this bottle. The primary note is still strawberry but definitely more muted and lighter. Got a slight nuttiness which may be from the cooperage. The wine was again like the 2014 a bit tart and oddly musty (best descriptor I have). The wine also had a slight syrupy quality to it.
Maybe lining up some cheaper California Zins against a bunch of Italian reds isn’t really fare deal but these didn’t show well for me. Hopefully others got a better impression.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2013-2015 Binz Zinfandel Vertical - $50 = 24.99%
And from Wine Enthusiast, the 2015:
89 Points. This wine is delicious in terms of late-harvested fruit flavors like boysenberry jam and raspberry syrup. It has full body, mild tannins and a mouthcoating texture. 2/1/19 JG
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/binz-2015-fox-creek-vineyard-zinfandel-shenandoah-valley-ca-304987/
fwiw
The 2014 and 2015 showed up in time to sample with last weekend’s SoCal gathering.
2014 Zinfandel
This seemed like a bit of a “classic jammy Zinfandel”, but somehow with enough acidity to hold it together. I found this to be more fruity and less interesting than the 2015. The aromas were a little too far into the vanilla range for my preferences, at least on night 1. The fruit was jammy red fruit and plums. Tannins were light. Slightly sweet finish (not RS - this is dry) focused on the fruit.
On night 2, after being recorked on the counter in the interim, it came together more. Nothing diminished the big and fruity character, however. A slight heat appeared on the finish for a while and then went away again. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the fruit took on a more raisined/dried quality as well.
This is not my preferred style of Zin, as it didn’t have much complexity and didn’t seem like it would age significantly. It is, however, a home run for those who like this style.
2015
I much preferred this vintage (which is surprising now that I see the harvest brix was higher). The aromas evoked the classic brambly Zin that I enjoy. I also detected anise. This was medium bodied and almost elegant on the palate, although with a slight bitterness on the finish. Not much tannin. Flavours were exactly what you’d expect given the aromas. After having a bit of air time I noticed some butterscotch aromas, which was slightly odd. Tannins also picked up a bit with air.
Night 2, this hadn’t changed much. I enjoyed drinking the rest of this alongside dinner and while putting together a presentation for work. I think this vintage will age and pick up some complexity for a few years yet.
The vintage variation is rather interesting. I wonder how that happened. It doesn’t seem like the harvest parameters were all that different, nor the oak regimes. The less obviously oaky vintage spend half the time in oak compared to the 2015.
After writing my notes I looked up the winery and was interested to learn that the owner/winemaker has a long and interesting history or working at Ridge, Sabatino/Renwood, etc. I do wish these were a bit more toward the style of the amazingly ageable Ridge Zins. 20+ year old Lytton Springs and Geyserville are amazing.
Quick and succinct since i left my notes at home.
I went with the '15 first and immediately noticed black pepper prickliness that i am only recently starting to enjoy. It was a middle of the road Zin that i enjoyed.
Moving to the '14 was quite jarring. Totally different style, totally different texture. As Klezman states, it seems like it wasn’t even a similar bottle of wine. This was much fruitier, sweeter, oakier bottle. I didn’t like it.
I’m curious how the '13 ends up to those who may have received that one!
Binz Wines Fox Creek Vineyard Zinfandel 2015, Shenandoah Valley, California
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Fruity on the nose with blackberries, bing cherries, oak, licorice, vanilla, chocolates, dark coffee, spices and peppercorn.
Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blueberries, cherries, licorice, oak, vanilla, spices, peppercorn, dark coffee, tobacco leaf, earth and herbs.
Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cranberries.
This is a nice Zinfandel from the Sierra Foothills in California. Drinking nicely now and showing nice complexity with a great nose. Spicy and tangy on the mid palate.
Good by itself or with food. A good quality wine with a soft mouthfeel.
Needs 2 hours to open up properly as it is too acidic right out of the bottle, so be patient.
Will age nicely in the next 3 to 5 years.
A good sipping wine to have all by itself.
I paired it with a cheese plate and crackers.
100% Zinfandel grapes were aged for 19 months in French and American oak barrels.
14.2% alcohol by volume.
89 points.
$28.
Binz Wines Fox Creek Vineyard Zinfandel 2014, Shenandoah Valley, California
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Strong nose of blackberries, black currants, plums, bing cherries, red candy, mediterranean spices, wood, herbs, tobacco, licorice, vanilla, black tea, earth, leather, dark coffee, spices and black pepper. A very aromatic nose.
Full bodied and bold with medium plus acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with plums, black currants, coffee, oak, earth, vanilla, vinaigrette, tobacco leaf, peppercorn, spices, light bitter herbs, red chili powder and cloves.
Medium finish with soft tannins and tart cherries.
This is a nice a Zinfandel from California. A good quality wine and a good food wine.
Drinking nicely already, but would probably be better in a year or two.
Needs 2 hours to open up properly and remove some of the acidity.
The nose here is much nicer than the 2015 and more complex, but right now, I like the 2015 better.
I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.
100% Zinfandel grapes were aged for 10 months in French and American oak barrels.
13.9% alcohol by volume.
88 points.
$28.
@Odedi French oak?
@kaolis French and American Oak
Any '13 rats? Would think so since '14 and '15 making the rounds…
@kaolis
One would hope so…
Perhaps @arianawcc could rattle them a bit and remind them of their duty to the 'mates.
So I received a labrat bottle… Unfortunately it spent 3 days in the back of a fedex truck, and it was definitely ruined when we opened it. I’ve updated the address so it won’t happen again, but I’m sorry to say that I do not have any tasting notes for this particular wine.
Looks like it was the 13 too. Boo.
@CAGrl At least you’re still around, if a bit scarce lately.
This is a great vineyard made into wine by one of Amador’s best winemakers. This is the original vineyard that made Montevina winery famous back in the 70’s and the first Zinfandel vineyard I ever made wine from working for Montevina back in 1974. I enjoy these wines. I’m in.