2017 Beekeeper Cellars Hidden Hillside Reserve Zinfandel | Rockpile AVA, Sonoma County CA 750ml

Beekeeper seeks to change minds about Zinfandel and to elevate standards for this amazing grape varietal. Dark, floral notes, spice, dried herb, and underbrush give way to purple plum, dark cherry, cracked black pepper, gravel, stone, and creme brulee. The elevated acidity from higher elevation hillside fruit ensures that this wine will age gracefully for a decade or more. 2017 is a bolder expression than in recent vintages... As usual, the virtue of patience is rewarded with properly aged Beekeeper wines. 225 cases produced. | Beekeeper Cellars

...This beauty boasts a vivid ruby/purple color as well as classy notes of black cherry and blackberry fruits interwoven with cedary spice, crushed flowers, and violets. It packs plenty of fruit yet stays light and elegant, with medium to full body, sweet tannins, and terrific balance. It should keep for a decade. | 94 points, Jeb Dunnuck for jebdunnuck.com

Picking a favorite from the new Beekeeper releases each year is far from easy, but it is a task that is nothing less than a pure joy, and the winery's three new offerings only strengthen its place as a Zinfandel maker at thee absolute top of its game... while a bit tight, this is a wine of enormous depth and detail and, as expected, shows the structure and sheer fruity volume that typify Beekeeper's very best efforts. It surprises a bit by being momentarily juicy in a way that almost tempts drinking now, but, however rich it may be in its youth, its tantalizing suggestions of certain layering to come keep up from prematurely pulling its cork. Expect no fewer than five or six years of positive growth and count on it being better yet as it reaches its tenth anniversary. | 95 points + 3 puffs, Connoisseurs' Guide