Neyers Vista Notre Zinfandel 2019

Alcohol: 14.1%

Grape(s): Zinfandel

Localization: St. Helena, Napa Valley, California

Tasting Notes: This wine has a unique freshness brimming with bright red berry fruit and hints of dried fruit. It is flavorful, yet restrained for a CA zin, with black peppercorn spice and hints of chocolate and nuts.

Notes: Aged for a year in neutral French oak barrels, then bottled without fining or filtration.

The Domain: Bruce Neyers' first winery job was at Mayacamas Winery in 1972. He spent two years at Mayacamas as assistant winemaker to Bob Travers, and simultaneously went to school under the extension work-study program at University of California, Davis. In 1974, Bruce and Barbara moved to the Nahe region in Germany where he worked as an apprentice winemaker, returning to the US in March 1975. That same month, he was hired by Joseph Phelps who was starting the winery that bears his name, and he worked there for 17 years, leaving in 1992 as general manager.

In 1984, Barbara and Bruce bought a 35-acre parcel in Conn Valley and began to develop it for vineyards with the idea of starting their own winery. A few days after resigning from Phelps, Bruce was offered and accepted the newly created position of national sales manager for Berkeley-based importer Kermit Lynch. He held that job until his retirement in 2017, having grown the business many times over during his years there. The 100+ French wine producers with whom he worked had an enormous influence on his winemaking ideas, farming practices, and production techniques.