2019 Peterson Carignane Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard Dry Creek Valley
Tasting Notes
This mountain-grown wine offers remarkable depth, starting with the rich aromatics of strawberry preserves and mixed dark ripe berries laced with hints of toasted oak. The hint of Christmas spices found in the nose plays a key role on the palate, weaving through a fusion of black cherry, dark red berries, and ripe strawberry to create a dark core. The tannin-oak structure remains as the backdrop while enhancing the complexity of the wine.
Try something different and savor this wine with an appetizer pairing of red wine and honey-glazed chorizo, or wine-braised pork shoulder served with hot sourdough bread to soak up the delicious juices.
2017 Peterson Forchini Vineyard Carignane, Dry Creek Valley
Tasting Notes
Tempting aromatics of fresh-baked cherry pie and black raspberry mingle with brown baking spices that weave through the nose. The youthful entry belies the age of the 76-year-old vines that gift the grapes that produce this delicious wine. The brown spices found on the nose reappear, enveloping the palate and caressing the dark ripe cherry essence that goes on and on. As the wine opens, a mix of brambly berries joins layers of the rich spice-laced cherry that linger in the long finish. The beautifully balanced structure stays one step back, allowing the elegant, luscious flavors to retain center stage.
Fun to just sip on its own, this wine provides an excellent match with cherry balsamic glazed salmon, chicken shawarma or stuffed eggplant.
Specs
Vintage: 2017
Composition: 100% Old Vine Carignane
Vineyard: Forchini Vineyard
Appellation: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Harvest Date: September 6, 2017
Barrel Aging: 22 months
Cooperage: 50% new French oak barrels; 50% 4-year-old neutral oak barrels
Bottling Date: August 1, 2019 (unfined & unfiltered)
Aromas of dark cherry and black raspberry mingle with hints of brown spices and a touch of earthiness. Lively, juicy flavors of black cherry and strawberry fill the palate, while traces of pomegranate and rhubarb add interest and depth. The vivid fruit is balanced with a very subtle essence of mocha-laced oak. The smooth mouthfeel and inviting blend of flavors create an easy-drinking, no-thinking wine. And yet, the complexity and quality give you pause as you sip this seamlessly delicious Rhône blend.
An ideal wine to grab when enjoying conversation with friends, diving into a good book, or unwinding after a long day. It will also pair perfectly with take-out pizza or a Rueben sandwich with fries, and can easily complement something elegant like lamb chops with herbs and garlic served with a wild mushroom rice pilaf.
Peterson Winery has been producing wine in Dry Creek Valley for 30 years and, like most wineries in the Valley, produces Zinfandel as well as other wines. Yet a closer look shows that is where the similarities end.
Owner Fred Peterson is an iconoclast with an old world winemaking philosophy and a reverence for sustainable farming. The Peterson approach is to capture the essence of vintage and vineyard—a philosophy they call Zero Manipulation—with low tech, yet high touch, to produce wines of a place, wines with soul. The evolution of Peterson wines and winemaking accelerated when Fred’s son Jamie became assistant winemaker in the summer of 2002. In 2006, after moving from the tiny red barn on Lytton Springs to Timber Crest Farms, Jamie was given the overall responsibilities as winemaker. As a winegrowing team, Fred and Jamie assess the grapes from each vineyard and vintage as the season progresses, evaluating how the weather, soil and site are interacting for the particular vintage. At Peterson winery, the winemaking process begins while the grapes are still on the vines. Zero Manipulation is a discipline the Petersons follow to capture the character and balance of inherent in the grapes. Zero Manipulation means using the most gentle, traditional winemaking practices possible to maximize the flavors, aromatics and texture of the wines. Fred and Jamie celebrate vintage differences and don’t tweak or homogenize the wine to obtain consistency of flavors, a common practice in mass-market wineries. For Fred and Jamie, Peterson Winery is all about the wines. But if you look a little deeper, you’ll see the heart and soul that goes into every bottle.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, RI, SC, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Peterson Mixed Carignane Reds - $62 = 26.72%
I received the box from UPS about 1.5 hours before the e-mail from Alice hit my inbox. I looked on the label and saw ‘Peterson’ and I smiled. I have bought a bunch of Peterson offers here, many split, some not, but all enjoyed. I ripped the box open to find a Bradford Mountain vineyard Carignane, 2019. If I am honest, I was a bit let down as the last bottle of Peterson I drank was a 2018 Carignane part of the May 2023 Casemates offer; a case I did not share. But I was struggling to enjoy the 2018 Carignane, something I have not experienced with any other Peterson. The tartness was overwhelming. It was fine with food, but a post dinner glass was disappointing. Well, I think I have solved it.
The delivery was a full week before the offer went live so I had a long time to taste this bottle. I opened the bottle Saturday while hosting a son’s friendsgiving, a meal of smoked pork, chicken and smoked wings. Typical sediment on the end of the cork. I failed recording any notes, but the initial nose and sip were pleasing and the tartness was present but not as severe - I attribute that to the 25% Mouvedre in this vintage (the 2018 is 100% Carinane.) I had another glass Sunday with grilled chicken. Both nights the wine was fine with the meal, but not ‘special.’ I did not enjoy the wine by itself post meal; there was just too much acid/tarness. The bottle was capped with a Vacuvin stopper each night.
Monday, day 3, the wine was fine with a salad and grilled turkey, and evolved into a tasty pleasure by itself after the meal. Tonight the nose has some slight dusty funk from the Mouvedre, with black cherry and some cedar, maybe some red laces licorice. The palate has tart, sour cherries with a pleasant level of perceived sweetness. The acidity/tarness is still there, but this wine is very nice with a long finish that turns to sweet, ripe bing cherries. So the secret is to let these rest or a healthy decant before serving. I can say that this last glass is a great as all the Peterson wines have been. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the offer will include. I know what I am hoping for from looking at the current wines offered on the website. Storage space does not exist, and to be honest while this is an interesting offer (I opened up a 2018 Zero Manipulation to try alongside the rat bottle) I am still on the fence.
From winereviewonline.com, the 2019:
An under-sung variety that plays a role in some of the great California field blends get the spotlight on its own here, and it will have you wondering why there aren’t more solo iterations out there. Used oak barrels are modest enough in their impact to let the raspberry and cherry fruit take center stage, and accent notes of pepper and leaf add depth and interest. Try this where you want more pizzazz than a Pinot Noir. 92 points. Rich Cook 10/15/24
International Wine Review, the 2019 as well:
93 points. Bright, rich, dark red fruit on the nose with notes of wild herbs and peppery spice. Smooth on entry with good body and firm, mouthwatering acidity. Overall, delicious and well made. A blend of 75% Carignane and 25% Mourvèdre sourced from the estate vineyard and matured 25 months in used French oak. pH 3.48, 15.1% alc. In the past, Jamie Peterson has also made an Old Vine Carignane from the Forchini Vineyard. I’ve tasted some exceptionally good old vine Carignane in South Africa, so I hope to taste the Forchini Carignane one day. 9/6/24 (note discrepancy in oak treatment but pretty sure this is the correct wine)
2017 Peterson Forchini Vineyard Carignane, Dry Creek Valley
Really enjoyed this wine. Very easy drinking wine that pairs well with a meal or is good by itself.This grape wasn’t on our radar but we love red wine and loved the overall drinkability of this wine. Definitely on our radar now and should be on yours too.
Happy Atmospheric River Wednesday, and National Zinfandel Day, from here in a soggy Dry Creek Valley. Still have power at the winery as well as the vineyard house, and thankfully the soil is ready for absorbing lots of rain.
We put this mix of wines forward to share the range of what an under appreciated and not often showcased varietal can do here in northern California. My dad has frequently called Carignane the “Rodney Dangerfield” of grapes, since it gets no respect (definitely a reference lost on our millennial and younger visitors these days…), but we’ve always worked with it to some degree.
There were old vine plantings on the Lytton Springs vineyard that we started on in the 1980’s, and further back, my dad worked with it at Paul Masson in the 1970’s, for jug wines and blending. He has said they used to joke that, as Zinfandel went through a mini surge in popularity, there were wineries that would take a tanker full of Carignane, drive it around the block, and it would come back as bulk Zinfandel… The flavors and character of both can be similar and record keeping might not have been as scrupulous back then.
Anyways, these three wines- The Zero Manipulation has been predominantly Carignane since the 2000 vintage when we started buying the fruit from Alvin Tollini. This vineyard in Redwood Valley is completely dry farmed, and blocks were planted by Alvins father as well as grandfather over the decades. We have taken to blending in Grenache and other Rhone varieties to fill out the mid palate, as Carignane can sometimes be a bit of a “donut wine” with the dominant flavors and textures on the front and finish. 2020 is a tasty vintage and the fires up in Mendocino were blowing away from the Redwood Valley so we escaped any smoke influence on them (our smokiest wine ever made was 2008 Zero Manipulation, but somehow it worked in the wine and people still will call and ask if we have anymore… Perfect BBQ accompaniment).
The Forchini vineyard we first purchased the fruit in 2007 to blend with our Dry Creek Zinfandel and Vignobles blends. I try and set a barrel or two aside to bottle as a stand alone, and for years I would get a stencil made and hand paint the bottles. With less energy than I used to have as well as less time with kids to take care of, I’ve switched to clear printed labels… But still fun and wax dipped. This wine has the classic Carignane “purple” fruit flavors and is beautifully balanced for being ripe an 100% varietal and vineyard designated.
The Bradford Estate fruit was planted in 2007, so is the relative baby of vines compared to the others. The mountain soils make for naturally higher acidity and lower pH, and our job is to let the grapes ripen enough to bring that into balance without the sugars getting crazy elevated. The Mourvedre is planted alongside the Carignane and makes for a beautiful complement in the blend.
I’ll leave it at that for now but will be off and on to answer any questions or comments!
@PetersonWinery I hope your sand bags are doing the right thing for you tonight and for the next few days. Looks like a soaker for the next 24 hours with lots of rain after it to run off the saturated soil.
My family has enjoyed your previous offerings here, and we’re looking forward to this one.
Thanks, Alice, for the bottle and sorry for the lateness of this post. We’re getting hammered by mother nature up here in Humboldt.
Bottle shipped on Tuesday last week and sat at UPS in Petaluma for four days. Received on Monday. Glad it was shipped early. OK, no more griping.
Tasted this last night with spouse and one fully-grown offspring. Here’re the highlights.
Spouse: Earthy, easy drinking. No pairing required, but would pair nicely with poultry, pork or lamb.
Offspring: “Smells like I might get in trouble… PLAY-DOH!!!” Make of that what you will. Followed by, “Fun to drink. Dark red fruit. Would be great with chicken breast but maybe not steak.”
Me: I love a carignane and this blend does not disappoint. Tart berries, not too bold, low on the tannin scale. We snacked on some hard sheep & goat cheeses while tasting, which was a bit overpowering for this wine.
Overall, we all loved this blend and would drink for any occasion.
@tercerowines Definitely Especially when they’ve got good acidity, and the alcs don’t get too high (like some years up here and in Redwood Valley…) I don’t think I’ve ever tried a Carignane from down your way. Will need to try some soon.
2019 Peterson Carignane Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard Dry Creek Valley
Tasting Notes
Specs
2017 Peterson Forchini Vineyard Carignane, Dry Creek Valley
Tasting Notes
Specs
2020 Peterson Zero Manipulation Carignane Blend
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$392.00/Case for 4x 2019 Peterson Carignane Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard Dry Creek Valley + 4x 2017 Peterson Forchini Vineyard Carignane, Dry Creek Valley + 4x 2020 Peterson Zero Manipulation Carignane Blend at Peterson Winery
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, RI, SC, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Dec 9 - Tuesday, Dec 10
Peterson Mixed Carignane Reds
3 bottles for $57.99 $19.33/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $169.99 $14.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2019 Peterson Carignane Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
2017 Peterson Forchini Vineyard Carignane
2020 Peterson Zero Manipulation Carignane Blend
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Peterson Mixed Carignane Reds - $62 = 26.72%
/giphy Elmo crazy money
Peterson…Auto buy
2019 Peterson Carignane Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
I received the box from UPS about 1.5 hours before the e-mail from Alice hit my inbox. I looked on the label and saw ‘Peterson’ and I smiled. I have bought a bunch of Peterson offers here, many split, some not, but all enjoyed. I ripped the box open to find a Bradford Mountain vineyard Carignane, 2019. If I am honest, I was a bit let down as the last bottle of Peterson I drank was a 2018 Carignane part of the May 2023 Casemates offer; a case I did not share. But I was struggling to enjoy the 2018 Carignane, something I have not experienced with any other Peterson. The tartness was overwhelming. It was fine with food, but a post dinner glass was disappointing. Well, I think I have solved it.
The delivery was a full week before the offer went live so I had a long time to taste this bottle. I opened the bottle Saturday while hosting a son’s friendsgiving, a meal of smoked pork, chicken and smoked wings. Typical sediment on the end of the cork. I failed recording any notes, but the initial nose and sip were pleasing and the tartness was present but not as severe - I attribute that to the 25% Mouvedre in this vintage (the 2018 is 100% Carinane.) I had another glass Sunday with grilled chicken. Both nights the wine was fine with the meal, but not ‘special.’ I did not enjoy the wine by itself post meal; there was just too much acid/tarness. The bottle was capped with a Vacuvin stopper each night.
Monday, day 3, the wine was fine with a salad and grilled turkey, and evolved into a tasty pleasure by itself after the meal. Tonight the nose has some slight dusty funk from the Mouvedre, with black cherry and some cedar, maybe some red laces licorice. The palate has tart, sour cherries with a pleasant level of perceived sweetness. The acidity/tarness is still there, but this wine is very nice with a long finish that turns to sweet, ripe bing cherries. So the secret is to let these rest or a healthy decant before serving. I can say that this last glass is a great as all the Peterson wines have been. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the offer will include. I know what I am hoping for from looking at the current wines offered on the website. Storage space does not exist, and to be honest while this is an interesting offer (I opened up a 2018 Zero Manipulation to try alongside the rat bottle) I am still on the fence.
From winereviewonline.com, the 2019:
An under-sung variety that plays a role in some of the great California field blends get the spotlight on its own here, and it will have you wondering why there aren’t more solo iterations out there. Used oak barrels are modest enough in their impact to let the raspberry and cherry fruit take center stage, and accent notes of pepper and leaf add depth and interest. Try this where you want more pizzazz than a Pinot Noir. 92 points. Rich Cook 10/15/24
International Wine Review, the 2019 as well:
93 points. Bright, rich, dark red fruit on the nose with notes of wild herbs and peppery spice. Smooth on entry with good body and firm, mouthwatering acidity. Overall, delicious and well made. A blend of 75% Carignane and 25% Mourvèdre sourced from the estate vineyard and matured 25 months in used French oak. pH 3.48, 15.1% alc. In the past, Jamie Peterson has also made an Old Vine Carignane from the Forchini Vineyard. I’ve tasted some exceptionally good old vine Carignane in South Africa, so I hope to taste the Forchini Carignane one day. 9/6/24 (note discrepancy in oak treatment but pretty sure this is the correct wine)
James The Wine Guy, 2019:
93 points.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xzBbovg-6oM
annnnd that might be about it…
fwiw
@kaolis
Thanks for pulling those up and posting! After not sending out many samples at all for a long time, my dad was gung ho and we connected with a number of folks to try the estate wines this year.
It also just was given a gold and 92 points at the Harvest Wine Challenge - https://enofileonline.com/awardsbybrandgoldplus.aspx?compid=2971
Annnnd a couple more too - https://ellenonwine.com/ellen-on-wine/tcn12mxtfrpbuklghsxczwrznqvkhe
2017 Peterson Forchini Vineyard Carignane, Dry Creek Valley
Really enjoyed this wine. Very easy drinking wine that pairs well with a meal or is good by itself.This grape wasn’t on our radar but we love red wine and loved the overall drinkability of this wine. Definitely on our radar now and should be on yours too.
@laurapittman655 which wine?
@kaolis @laurapittman655
Yeah, it kinda misses the point lacking identification of what you were drinking…
@kaolis The Peterson 2017 Carignane
Happy Atmospheric River Wednesday, and National Zinfandel Day, from here in a soggy Dry Creek Valley. Still have power at the winery as well as the vineyard house, and thankfully the soil is ready for absorbing lots of rain.
We put this mix of wines forward to share the range of what an under appreciated and not often showcased varietal can do here in northern California. My dad has frequently called Carignane the “Rodney Dangerfield” of grapes, since it gets no respect (definitely a reference lost on our millennial and younger visitors these days…), but we’ve always worked with it to some degree.
There were old vine plantings on the Lytton Springs vineyard that we started on in the 1980’s, and further back, my dad worked with it at Paul Masson in the 1970’s, for jug wines and blending. He has said they used to joke that, as Zinfandel went through a mini surge in popularity, there were wineries that would take a tanker full of Carignane, drive it around the block, and it would come back as bulk Zinfandel… The flavors and character of both can be similar and record keeping might not have been as scrupulous back then.
Anyways, these three wines- The Zero Manipulation has been predominantly Carignane since the 2000 vintage when we started buying the fruit from Alvin Tollini. This vineyard in Redwood Valley is completely dry farmed, and blocks were planted by Alvins father as well as grandfather over the decades. We have taken to blending in Grenache and other Rhone varieties to fill out the mid palate, as Carignane can sometimes be a bit of a “donut wine” with the dominant flavors and textures on the front and finish. 2020 is a tasty vintage and the fires up in Mendocino were blowing away from the Redwood Valley so we escaped any smoke influence on them (our smokiest wine ever made was 2008 Zero Manipulation, but somehow it worked in the wine and people still will call and ask if we have anymore… Perfect BBQ accompaniment).
The Forchini vineyard we first purchased the fruit in 2007 to blend with our Dry Creek Zinfandel and Vignobles blends. I try and set a barrel or two aside to bottle as a stand alone, and for years I would get a stencil made and hand paint the bottles. With less energy than I used to have as well as less time with kids to take care of, I’ve switched to clear printed labels… But still fun and wax dipped. This wine has the classic Carignane “purple” fruit flavors and is beautifully balanced for being ripe an 100% varietal and vineyard designated.
The Bradford Estate fruit was planted in 2007, so is the relative baby of vines compared to the others. The mountain soils make for naturally higher acidity and lower pH, and our job is to let the grapes ripen enough to bring that into balance without the sugars getting crazy elevated. The Mourvedre is planted alongside the Carignane and makes for a beautiful complement in the blend.
I’ll leave it at that for now but will be off and on to answer any questions or comments!
@PetersonWinery I hope your sand bags are doing the right thing for you tonight and for the next few days. Looks like a soaker for the next 24 hours with lots of rain after it to run off the saturated soil.
My family has enjoyed your previous offerings here, and we’re looking forward to this one.
Dang! No love for VA.
Anyone in DC open to splitting a case?
2020 Peterson Zero Manipulation Carignane Blend
Thanks, Alice, for the bottle and sorry for the lateness of this post. We’re getting hammered by mother nature up here in Humboldt.
Bottle shipped on Tuesday last week and sat at UPS in Petaluma for four days. Received on Monday. Glad it was shipped early. OK, no more griping.
Tasted this last night with spouse and one fully-grown offspring. Here’re the highlights.
Spouse: Earthy, easy drinking. No pairing required, but would pair nicely with poultry, pork or lamb.
Offspring: “Smells like I might get in trouble… PLAY-DOH!!!” Make of that what you will. Followed by, “Fun to drink. Dark red fruit. Would be great with chicken breast but maybe not steak.”
Me: I love a carignane and this blend does not disappoint. Tart berries, not too bold, low on the tannin scale. We snacked on some hard sheep & goat cheeses while tasting, which was a bit overpowering for this wine.
Overall, we all loved this blend and would drink for any occasion.
PA is listed in the states but when I attempted to purchase the website informed me it can’t ship this to PA
Love the variety - and yep, it gets zero respect. A perfect Turkey Day wine IMHO
@tercerowines Definitely
Especially when they’ve got good acidity, and the alcs don’t get too high (like some years up here and in Redwood Valley…) I don’t think I’ve ever tried a Carignane from down your way. Will need to try some soon.
/giphy flitting-frightful-chin
In for a full case. Love Peterson and Dry Creek wines.
@MerlynXLII
Same. Also really enjoy me some Carignane. Just finishing up my last few bottles of Carignane from Tercero. I’m in for a case
I knew this day would come! Feeling the wrath of being in a no shipping state.
In for a Case; never been disappointed with any purchase. Have to find a place to store it??