Based on our stylistic approach to Shooting Star wines, this Zin is lighter and fruitier than our Old-Vine Steele Zinfandels. Spice, tobacco, and cocoa are also characteristics of this bottling. We used approximately 80% neutral barrels and 20% new barrels to capture as much of the aroma and flavor of the grape as possible.
All the fruit is hand-harvested and quickly delivered to the winery. The grapes are de-stemmed and gently crushed to tanks for fermentation. Following fermentation, we pressed and racked the individual vineyard lots to American and French oak barrels for 8 months.
Vineyards
This bottling of Zinfandel is from one of our favorite Lake County Zinfandel vineyards. The Duncan-Shine vineyard contains some of the oldest plantings of Zinfandel in all of Lake County going back to the late 1800s. However, the block we source our fruit from was planted in 1980. The Duncan-Shine vineyard produces a Zinfandel that shows both the fresh juicy fruit and a riper character of the variety.
Food Pairings
Try our Shooting Star Zinfandel with pasta in marinara sauce, calzones, grilled meat, or lasagna. The Shooting Star Zinfandel is also a delicious wine with BBQ.
Specs
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Zinfandel
Appellation: Lake County
Alcohol: 13.7%
pH: 3.7 g/100mL
Total Acidity: 0.59
Residual Sugar: 0.031 g/L
Barrel Aging: 8 months in American and French Oak
Vine Age: Avg. 40 years
Yields: 4 tons per acre
Production: 1502 cases
2020 Steele Cabernet Franc, Lake County
Tasting Notes
Aromas are of raspberry and cassis with peppery undertones, on the palate you will find blueberry and raspberry fruit, with notes of coffee and cocoa.
The typical winemaking style for our Cabernet Franc is a warm fermentation followed by pressing and racking. The wine then goes to oak barrels and generally spends 12 months in French oak.
Vineyards
Lake County allows us to produce varieties in styles which would make our neighbors to the south a bit jealous. One of these varietals is Cabernet Franc. When we started buying grapes from the vineyard of Floyd Silva, we found that he was growing some of the best Cabernet Franc that we had ever tasted. The Silva Vineyard is on a gravelly bench, which is located in the Kelsey Bench AVA of Lake County. The vines grow well at this higher elevation and show a great balance of flavors and structure.
Food Pairings
The rich fruit of this wine will compliment grilled filet steaks or a seared Ahi tuna.
The flavors are of Black cherry, boysenberry, and tobacco with soft, yet lingering tannins. We age this wine for 6 months in oak barrels to preserve the bright fruit flavors of this wine. Our Shooting Star Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of dark red fruit with just a hint of fresh herbs.
Vineyards
Here in Lake County the red volcanic soils, ample sunshine, almost no fog, the 1400-foot plus elevation, and the cool night temperatures, all add up to a wonderful place to grow red grapes. Warm days and cool nights are ideal conditions for this site creating an ideal Cabernet Sauvignon.
Food Pairings
This Cabernet Sauvignon pairs well with leg of lamb roasted with fresh rosemary, and garlic, grilled flank steaks, or try with an aged Gouda cheese.
Specs
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: 66% California, 34% Lake County
Alcohol: 13.9%
pH: 3.65
Total Acidity: 0.66 g/100mL
Residual Sugar: 0.42 g/L
Barrel Aging: 6 months in French and American oak
Vine Age: Avg. 30 years
Yields: 2-3 tons per acre
Production: 2419 cases
2020 Steele Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Hills, Lake County
Tasting Notes
This wine has a rich, fruit-forward elegance. A spicy fruit and berry core, backed up by soft tannins, makes it a nice glass of wine for casual sipping among friends.
The grapes are pressed into a stainless steel tank and undergo 2-3 week fermentation with an extended maceration to extract every ounce of flavor. This wine is then laid down in French oak barrels to age for a year.
Vineyards
The Red Hills appellation in Lake County is a fairly new AVA (American Viticultural Area). The iron-rich, red soil of Red Hills is laden with obsidian, a glassy black volcanic rock that glistens in the afternoon sun. Well-known Napa Valley grape grower Andy Beckstoffer bought up a piece of the Red Hills AVA, planting it in Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals. We have been receiving clone 6 and clone 37 grapes from this vineyard since 2002.
Food Pairings
This classic Cabernet Sauvignon will pair wonderfully with any red meat. Try it with a spice-rubbed rib-eye steak or rack of lamb.
Specs
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Lake County
Alcohol: 15.3%
pH: 3.74
Total Acidity: 0.53 g/100mL
Residual Sugar: 0.10 g/L
Barrel Aging: 12 months in French oak
Vine Age: Avg. 20 years
Production: 4500 cases
What’s Included
4-bottles:
1x 2020 Shooting Star Zinfandel, Lake County
1x 2020 Steele Cabernet Franc, Lake County
1x 2021 Shooting Star Cabernet Sauvignon, California
1x 2020 Steele Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Hills, Lake County Case:
3x 2020 Steele Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Hills, Lake County
3x 2021 Shooting Star Cabernet Sauvignon, California
First produced in 1991, Shooting Star wines are true to terroir and a great value. These offerings are more reminiscent of specific appellations and uncommon varietals, and are fermented in stainless steel or aged in oak for a shorter period of time to be enjoyed while young.
Steele Wines
A staple of Lake County for the last nearly 30 years, Steele Winery carries on the legacy of its founder Jed Steele with a focus on small allotments of a wide range of wine varietals. Shannon Family of Wines purchased Steele in 2020 and has continued Jed’s practice of craftsmanship winemaking.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WI
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
Steele & Shooting Star Mixed Reds - $40 = 22.21%
2020 Steele Cab Franc and 2020 Steele Cabernet Sauvignon offered here 7/23 notes and rats
Wine Enthusiast Cab Franc:
89 points. A very balanced and straight forward Cab Franc with notes of red and black cherry, black licorice, capsicum, toasted wood and sweet tobacco. — Stacy Briscoe 7/1/23
Enthusiast on the 2020 Steele Cabernet Sauvignon:
88 points. A very fruity expression of Cabernet Sauvignon alongside a coarse tannic structure. Find notes of blackberry, boysenberry, vanilla, black and red cherry, toast, licorice and cinnamon. — Stacy Briscoe 7/1/23
2020 Shooting Star Zinfandel, Lake County
Vineyards
Food Pairings
Specs
2020 Steele Cabernet Franc, Lake County
Tasting Notes
Vineyards
Food Pairings
Specs
2021 Shooting Star Cabernet Sauvignon, California
Tasting Notes
Vineyards
Food Pairings
Specs
2020 Steele Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Hills, Lake County
Tasting Notes
Vineyards
Food Pairings
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$336.00/Case for 3x 2020 Steele Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Hills, Lake County + 3x 2021 Shooting Star Cabernet Sauvignon, California + 3x 2020 Steele Cabernet Franc, Lake County + 3x 2020 Shooting Star Zinfandel, Lake County at Shannon Ridge
About The Wineries
Shooting Star Wines
Steele Wines
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WI
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jan 29 - Tuesday, Jan 30
Steele & Shooting Star Mixed Reds
4 bottles for $59.99 $15/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $139.99 $11.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2020 Shooting Star Zinfandel
2020 Steele Cabernet Franc
2021 Shooting Star Cabernet Sauvignon
2020 Steele Cabernet Sauvignon
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
Steele & Shooting Star Mixed Reds - $40 = 22.21%
Zin offered here 3/23 notes and rats
2020 Steele Cab Franc and 2020 Steele Cabernet Sauvignon offered here 7/23 notes and rats
Wine Enthusiast Cab Franc:
89 points. A very balanced and straight forward Cab Franc with notes of red and black cherry, black licorice, capsicum, toasted wood and sweet tobacco. — Stacy Briscoe 7/1/23
Enthusiast on the 2020 Steele Cabernet Sauvignon:
88 points. A very fruity expression of Cabernet Sauvignon alongside a coarse tannic structure. Find notes of blackberry, boysenberry, vanilla, black and red cherry, toast, licorice and cinnamon. — Stacy Briscoe 7/1/23
fwiw
Crickets on this offer…
@itsjer Perhaps not much to crick about…?
@kaolis Apparently this deal isn’t a Steele…
@itsjer @kaolis very very good
@itsjer not even a tree frog
@itsjer This is depressing…
Sad