The soils in the Sierra Foothills are special. The microclimates and varying elevations hide unique opportunities; capable of growing a vast selection of varietals, including grapes traditionally considered obscure to California. As an avid wine enthusiast and Napa frequenter, to discover such a secretive wine region inspired founder, Janis Akuna. It gave her a vision to share a different kind of experience with other wine enthusiasts. But even more than that, it was the rural wine region of Amador County that struck her the most; reminiscent of the early days of Napa she so dearly missed.
In 2009, Janis and her husband, Andy Friedlander, found their own stretch of land to replant portions of the vineyard originally planted in the 1970s, while seeking out the highest quality vineyards to buy additional fruit. Working closely with Sage Architecture and Sunseri Construction, they built a state of the art winemaking facility with two tenets; design a sustainable winery to produce world class wines that is attractive, but different from all others.
Tasting Notes: The Friedlander Block is named after one of our founders. It was planted in the mid-1970s and is located on the top vineyard of the Andis Estate at an elevation of about 1500ft. The dry-farmed, head-trained parcel is grown sustainably, which results in low yields with smaller bunches. This produces a concentrated, ruby-colored, robust Zinfandel with an explosive mouthfeel. The wine has blackberries, raspberries, toasted fruit, cocoa powder, and sweet baking spice notes. It is perfectly balanced and rounded with firm, delicate tannins.
Pairing Notes: Beef, Lamb Chop, curry dishes, spicy food
