One of the ancillary benefits to writing a wine column is getting to meet some of the most delightful people in the industry — and beyond. One of those people happens to be Joel Peterson, the winemaker and driving force behind the very successful wine brand Ravenswood.
I met Joel last year when he swung through town on a whistle-stop wine tour of the East Coast. He popped into D.C. for a day and I was fortunate enough to snag a seat next to Joel at a trade lunch to taste through the latest releases from the winery. As lunch progressed, Joel and I actually regressed, talking about some of our favorite wines from Joel’s illustrious past. I mentioned that I had a group of “Peterson Groupies” who have a collection of older Ravenswood wines and that, should he find his way back to Washington anytime in the future, I would be happy to host a dinner and invite these collectors over for a retrospective tasting of his wines.
Joel readily agreed, but given his hectic schedule, I was convinced that he was just being polite. Imagine my surprise when I received an e-mail from Joel last month informing me he was going to be in town and would like to, indeed, take me up on my offer. Needless to say, I was thrilled. I called upon a handful of collectors to bring older vintages of Ravenswood as well as help me cook dinner. However, as the date drew closer, I had a mixture of anticipation and anxiety when I realized that I was actually going to have one of the pioneers of California zinfandel in my home for dinner.
But Joel does not think of himself as a “superstar winemaker.” On the contrary, he still thinks of himself as the would-be microbiologist who bought a few grapes in 1976 and made a few cases of wine in Sonoma. And even though Joel originally cut his teeth on merlot and sauvignon blanc, he quickly developed a reputation for making stylish, beautifully balanced zinfandels from vineyard-designated vines. Many of the older vineyards that Joel sourced his grapes from — and still does today — are predominately zinfandel field blends, planted by immigrant farmers at the turn of the 19th century, that also have carigne, syrah and petite sirah growing alongside.
Because zinfandel does not have a reputation for aging well, I was curious to see how well the older blends would hold up. When the big day arrived, we had the additional treat of having Joel’s son, Morgan, join us for the tasting. Not only does young Mr. Peterson hold the prestigious title of Master of Wine, he also decided to follow in his father’s rather large footsteps by making his own wine at the Bedrock Wine Co. in Sonoma, Calif. As Morgan put it, “I have the best non-paid consultant in the business.”
Well, it turns out I had no need to worry about the evening. Joel enjoyed the food and we all loved his wines. Here are the group’s favorite older bottlings from the evening. Definite proof that Joel’s wines stand the taste of time.
1985 Ravenswood Zinfandel, Old Hill Ranch Vineyard, Sonoma, Calif.
The Old Hill wines were everyone’s favorite wines throughout the evening. There is written evidence the vineyard dates back to 1864 (thus the name Old Hill). It is 75 percent zinfandel and 25 percent field blend. The wine still had plenty of fruit and lovely notes of sage.
1986 Ravenswood Zinfandel, Old Hill Ranch Vineyard, Sonoma, Calif.
This wine was surprisingly sweeter and more fruit-driven than the 1985 version. Notes of ripe cherry, red berry and earth mingled with hints of savory and dried spice. A remarkable wine for its age.
1991 Ravenswood Zinfandel, Old Hill Ranch Vineyard, Sonoma, Calif.
Another big hit, this one was the “wine of the night,” featuring aromas of mushrooms and earth on the nose and well-balanced flavors of sweet red fruit on the palate.
1992 Ravenswood Zinfandel, Dickerson Vineyard, Sonoma, Calif.
Bob Dickerson, a member of a tasting group started by Joel’s dad, owns this vineyard. To quote Joel, “This wine is still on the young side,” expressing flavors of Bing cherry, red plums and a touch of mint on the finish.
1989 Ravenswood Merlot, San Giacamo, Sonoma, Calif.
One of the few merlot wines of the tasting, this presented, with soft, layered flavors of cherry, black raspberry, plum and spices. A touch of cinnamon on the smooth finish provided a lingering effect.
1998 Ravenswood Zinfandel, Barricia Vineyard, Sonoma, Calif.
This vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards in California, originally owned by the Mexican governor, Vallejo, who planted grapes as early as 1861. Lovely flavors of ripe blueberry, red cherry and red licorice cover the palate and end with soft notes of cocoa on the elegant finish.
