In 2016 Margie and
I were fortunate to purchase the twelve-acre parcel directly north of the
winery. In doing so we became growers
for the first time. Until then we
purchased 100% of the grapes we used to produce our wines. Of the twelve acres, ten of them were planted
to grapevines and of the ten acres of vineyard half were Zinfandel planted in
1890. Despite the Zinfandel being planted on its own roots and in the presence
of phylloxera, the 126-year-old vineyard still had close to half of its
original vines. After a very rigorous selection process, fifty of the strongest
vines contributed cuttings that were grafted onto Saint George rootstock and grown
in the nursery for a year before being transplanted to the voided spots in the
vineyard. These young vines were fitted
with drip irrigation and are now contributing to the vineyards’ production. We started small,
just 139 cases from the 2016 vintage and slowly increased production. Today we take in all the grapes the five
acres can produce, and the Peroni Ranch has become our ‘Flagship’ Zinfandel. The resulting wines have shown the depth and
intensity consistent with century old vines.
Our production techniques assure us that we extract everything the skins
have to offer in terms of color and flavor while keeping the finish supple and
free of harsh tannins.
