Mark Tevault

Charter Oak Napa Valley Estate Zinfandel 2005... Our score – 95/100

– Napa Valley, California. A wine to remember... regardless of varietal! This is a black, balanced ooze in a glass! Conspicuously earth dusted black fruit emanates along with powdered chocolate, indigenous bramble, exotic spices and sweet, tight-grained French oak.

Mister Fanucci’s Italian-born Grandfather Guido Ragghianti planted the paltry 10-15 rows of vines on a one-acre parcel in St. Helena to white grapes for the production of a traditional family grappa... Rob still makes grappa and may let you sip if you are worthy and there is some available. Guido ingrained a vision in Rob’s head of an era long since passed... of family made wine on a small scale to imbibe with the best of family and friends. Rob remembers his tounge being touched by wine at the age of 4! On Guido’s passing in 1986, Rob replanted this vineyard to Zinfandel and uses other old-vine Napa Primativo and Petit Sirah grapes to bolster and add to the Estate zin. There is no room in the Charter Oak winery for fancy, state-of-the-art equipment for racking, fining, nor filtering... just world-class French barrel for artistry and a true passion for making mind-bending wine. Blending is handled in the most basic of ways... tasting trial error... percentages are weighed and wine is made. Ridiculously good, thick and busty wine!

Charter Oak “Monte Rosso” Sonoma Valley Zinfandel 2005... Our Score – 95/100

– Sonoma, California. Hedonism personified! This is the well-coiffed curvy woman of wine! The blackberry fruit is plump and sublime with measured characters of white pepper, mild brush and bramble and polished French Burgundy barrel finesse! Drink slowly!

One of the few people still getting this storied fruit after a major wine conglomerate purchased the vineyard a few years back. These vineyards were first lanted during Grover Cleveland’s first term as President of these United States in the 1880’s. In great vintages, the vineyard may get yields of 1.5 tons per acre and only a minute fraction of that paltry harvest reaches Rob Fanucci. This matters not to Rob... he will take what he gets and make the absolute most of every ounce of grape pulp bestowed on him. It is rare that he can make more than 200 cases total, yet with 2005 being a WORLD vintage... he may be able to eek out 300 cases? Buy a few and tell us we are wrong!