2021 Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Zinfandel, Amador County
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
Dark briary fruit of mulberry, white pepper, cigar box, ripe strawberry, grilled steak, spicy, cherry tobacco, sage, and plum lead to an extractive fleshy structure with firm tannin and a balanced, long lingering finish. Grown on steep mountainous terrain in the higher elevations of the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County, California. There was a big fire starting just before harvest began, lasting into mid-harvest (Caldor Fire). It started 10 miles northeast of us and burned in the opposite direction. So, all our 2021 wines escaped having any smoke taint. Lower yields of extractive fruit due to drought. No heat spikes during the growing season. Just a dry year with little moisture in the ground. Look for dark colored extractive wines, but not a lot of them.
Amador County is extremely well suited to Zinfandel. Zinfandel has been grown in the Amador County Gold Rush area for over 150 years. These old head pruned dryland farmed vineyards produce low yields of extractive, flavorful Zinfandel
Specs
Varietal: 100% Amador County Zinfandel
53% Bowman Vineyard and 47% Renwood Vineyard
Cooperage: 21 months in French Oak
Alcohol: 14.5
pH: 3.56
RS: Dry @ .2%
Bottling Date: 7/27/2023
Aging Potential: 10-12 Years
Cases Produced: 1324
2022 Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Barbera, Amador County
Tasting Notes
Wine has bright red fruit, ripe cherry, roses, cherry tobacco, spicy with white pepper, sage, and cloves, showing a bright center palate with a balanced, full, and long lingering finish.
Vineyard/Vintage Notes
Grown on steep mountainous terrain in the higher elevations of the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County, California. The growing season started off with a hard spring frost on April 12, killing 80% of the new shoot growth. This produced a small crop. We had a dry summer with a mid-harvest rain. The best wines in Amador are always made after the first fall rain. What was left after the frost ripened nicely to produce excellent extractive fruit.
Winemaker’s Notes
Produced in the Italian old world, food-friendly style.
Specs
Blend: 100% 2022 Amador County, 87% Barbera, 13% Zinfandel.
Appellation: Amador County
Cooperage: 21 months in French Oak
Alcohol: Labeled @ 14.5%
pH: 3.4
RS: Dry <.2%
Bottling Date: 8/16/2024
Release Date: July, 2025
Cases Produced: 463 cases
What’s Included
4-bottles:
2x 2021 Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Zinfandel, Amador County
2x 2022 Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Barbera, Amador County Case:
6x 2021 Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Zinfandel, Amador County
6x 2022 Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Barbera, Amador County
After decades of creating and crafting premium wines for wineries like Santino and Folie a Deux – and putting Amador County on the map as a world-class appellation – Scott Harvey launched his own winery in 2004. With decades of winemaking experience on two continents, it’s no wonder his wines have become an immediate sensation. It’s an overnight success 35 years in the making. (Oh, and Scott’s not too shabby with a pen, either.)
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY
Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Barbera and Zinfandel
4 bottles for $69.99 $17.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $169.99 $14.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Mollie is the winemaker on these. But I was over seeing all decisions and lead the blending sessions to put these wines together. I’m in Carmel with Jana today. I won’t be able to tell you the actual ABV until I get back to my office which will be Thursday. I can tell you that 14.5% is with in 1% of the actual.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Barbera and Zinfandel - $40 = 19.04%
Thank you to Matt and everyone for the chance to rat again!
I received a bottle of the Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Zinfandel. I have had several Scott Harvey vintages in the past from split cases and another ratting so I was expecting good things. First pop and pour I saw a nice garnet color, not too dark. Seemed a little thinner than I expected but not bad.
On the nose I got leather, tobacco, cherry, plum, and maybe some subtle baking spices. It seems a little light as Zinfandel goes because I’m not getting that boldness I was expecting. I don’t get the fullness or pepper that I normally get with a Zin.
That said, it does have the flavors I got on the nose and a nice mouthfeel with a dry finish. Tannins are there but not too strong. Got the plums and cherries, but they were more of the lighter variety than the deep, dark more umami ones. I didn’t have anything to pair it with so I grabbed a couple small pieces of an aged Italian Bleu cheese to taste it with. To my palate, they worked beautifully together. I would love to get this wine with a nice charcuterie board.
The next night, I tried another glass and things had opened up a bit more. It was rounder, with more depth and complexity and the fruit flavors were more in line with what I was expecting. I think this is just drinking a little young and will just get better with a couple more years in the cellar.
Labrat here - no image handy. I tasted the Barbera
Not a lot of intro needed here. It’s Scott Harvey, nearly always an autobuy. No difference here. I presently have 40 bottles of SH in the cellar, 12 of which are Barbera, so you could say I generally like it.
Anyways, on with the rattage.
This wine pours beautifully into the glass, a nice garnet color, clear, no sediment.
The bouquet is very fragrant, very fruit forward with some cherry cola and vanilla. Unfortunately, the wife described it as “very grapey”. I found it more leaning towards cranberry.
On the palate, a nice subdued cranberry, not quite as fruit forward as the smell suggested. A bit of black pepper and some drying tannins that aren’t overpowering. A long lingering finish that hints at some brambles, green pepper.
Day 2 it drinks similarly, although the finish has shortened some. The second day I paired it with a lemon chicken piccata and while not a great pairing, it still had plenty of acid to balance out the lemon and held together well.
I took a look at previous SH barbera notes and it looks like my last notes were of a 2016 J&S reserve in 2021 and a 2016 Mountain in 2019 which have a bit more descriptive notes and a darker twist, but generally similar characteristics.
If you have had SH, you know what you’re getting into here. If you haven’t, most would find this to be a very approachable, easy drinking, and restrained bottle that most everyone would enjoy.
Hi Everyone,
As always, great to be back on Casemates. Jana and I are in Carmel till Thursday. Will be doing some bike riding along the Monetary coast to have lunch at the pier. I’ll be getting on and off through out the day to answer your questions. Thanks to the Lab ratters. The rattage is right on. The Zinfandel is made more in the old world style the way Zinfandel was made in the 50’s and 60’s in California when we called Zinfandel the Claret of California red wine. ie no Mega Red.
2021 Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Zinfandel, Amador County
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
Specs
2022 Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Barbera, Amador County
Tasting Notes
Vineyard/Vintage Notes
Winemaker’s Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $420/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Aug 18 - Tuesday, Aug 19
Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Barbera and Zinfandel
4 bottles for $69.99 $17.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $169.99 $14.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2021 Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Zinfandel
2022 Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Barbera
So who made these, Scott or Molly?
And what’s the “labelled at 14.5%”? What’s the real abv?
Mollie is the winemaker on these. But I was over seeing all decisions and lead the blending sessions to put these wines together. I’m in Carmel with Jana today. I won’t be able to tell you the actual ABV until I get back to my office which will be Thursday. I can tell you that 14.5% is with in 1% of the actual.
@ScottHarveyWine Enjoy Carmel!
Miss the burgundy labels not the red ones these are not good imo
@losthighwayz agree
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Barbera and Zinfandel - $40 = 19.04%
Thank you to Matt and everyone for the chance to rat again!
I received a bottle of the Scott Harvey Mountain Selection Zinfandel. I have had several Scott Harvey vintages in the past from split cases and another ratting so I was expecting good things. First pop and pour I saw a nice garnet color, not too dark. Seemed a little thinner than I expected but not bad.
On the nose I got leather, tobacco, cherry, plum, and maybe some subtle baking spices. It seems a little light as Zinfandel goes because I’m not getting that boldness I was expecting. I don’t get the fullness or pepper that I normally get with a Zin.
That said, it does have the flavors I got on the nose and a nice mouthfeel with a dry finish. Tannins are there but not too strong. Got the plums and cherries, but they were more of the lighter variety than the deep, dark more umami ones. I didn’t have anything to pair it with so I grabbed a couple small pieces of an aged Italian Bleu cheese to taste it with. To my palate, they worked beautifully together. I would love to get this wine with a nice charcuterie board.
The next night, I tried another glass and things had opened up a bit more. It was rounder, with more depth and complexity and the fruit flavors were more in line with what I was expecting. I think this is just drinking a little young and will just get better with a couple more years in the cellar.
Labrat here - no image handy. I tasted the Barbera
Not a lot of intro needed here. It’s Scott Harvey, nearly always an autobuy. No difference here. I presently have 40 bottles of SH in the cellar, 12 of which are Barbera, so you could say I generally like it.
Anyways, on with the rattage.
This wine pours beautifully into the glass, a nice garnet color, clear, no sediment.
The bouquet is very fragrant, very fruit forward with some cherry cola and vanilla. Unfortunately, the wife described it as “very grapey”. I found it more leaning towards cranberry.
On the palate, a nice subdued cranberry, not quite as fruit forward as the smell suggested. A bit of black pepper and some drying tannins that aren’t overpowering. A long lingering finish that hints at some brambles, green pepper.
Day 2 it drinks similarly, although the finish has shortened some. The second day I paired it with a lemon chicken piccata and while not a great pairing, it still had plenty of acid to balance out the lemon and held together well.
I took a look at previous SH barbera notes and it looks like my last notes were of a 2016 J&S reserve in 2021 and a 2016 Mountain in 2019 which have a bit more descriptive notes and a darker twist, but generally similar characteristics.
If you have had SH, you know what you’re getting into here. If you haven’t, most would find this to be a very approachable, easy drinking, and restrained bottle that most everyone would enjoy.
Hi Everyone,
As always, great to be back on Casemates. Jana and I are in Carmel till Thursday. Will be doing some bike riding along the Monetary coast to have lunch at the pier. I’ll be getting on and off through out the day to answer your questions. Thanks to the Lab ratters. The rattage is right on. The Zinfandel is made more in the old world style the way Zinfandel was made in the 50’s and 60’s in California when we called Zinfandel the Claret of California red wine. ie no Mega Red.
Smashed that “place your order” button on a case only to be met with a message that this offer cannot be shipped to CT. Sad panda.
@bsartist618 @ScottHarveyWine
Contact Jana
What is the aging potential of the Barbera?
@ehengen 10 to 12 years. If you like the character of bottle bouquet, (which I do being European trained) I would say 12 to 18 years.