Trinitas Cellars is proud to present its ratZINger Zinfandel honoring Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger who, in 2005, was elected Pope Benedict XVI. In his first papal encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, Pope Benedict XVI underscored that love of God and love of neighbor are inseparable - they both live from the love of God who loved us first. This wine is crafted in memory of Monsignor Thomas J. Herron, close friend and collaborator of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who lovingly labored for the Gospel until his death on May 2, 2004. May you and your loved ones experience God’s love.

The Wine
Our 2006 California Zinfandel is a beautiful representation of Zinfandel grape sources from some of the oldest vineyards in the Northern California Terrior. Tangy and edgy, it reveals loads of spicy, briery and dusty raspberry fruit with hints of white pepper and earth. A solid tannin structure gives way to great mouth feel and a lasting finish. Pair with spicy cuisines, BBQ, heavier pastas and even a great Italian slice of pizza. Drink over the next 2-3 years.

The Winemaking
A pre-fermentation cold soak with traditional pump-over cap management preserved the unique fruit qualities of this wine. After malolactic occurred in neutral wood, an addition of 30% new American oak was used to enhance the spice flavor components and to frame the fruit with added structure in the mid-palate.

The Vineyard
The Lodi Vineyard consists of multiple soil types ranging from sandy loam to clay. Comprised mostly of Hamford sandy loam and Greenfield sandy loam, the vineyards soil profile changes radically from north to south. Only about 25% of the south side is San Joaquin loam ending in a small corner of Capay clay. Full of eutypa dieback (dead arm disease) and weeds, this is the strangest looking vineyard we produce wine from.