One of the best wineries in the Shenandoah Valley is Renwood. Living up to its location, this winery produces seven Zinfandels, including an Ice Zinfandel. For this variation, the grapes are harvested at the peak of ripeness and cryogenically frozen for two months. Then they're fermented for six months, and barrel-aged for a year. The freezing period causes the juice to obtain maximum concentration - in other words, it's no longer juice but syrup. What you end up with is a nose of fresh spring fruit - tangerines, berries, pears; and caramel, vanilla, and berries on the palate.
Renwood offers more, though. The Grandpère Zinfandel is harvested from the vineyard containing the oldest Zinfandel clone in the U.S., reputed to be some 130 years old. The fruit has deeply-concentrated flavors; the resultant wine is ruby purple and greets the nose with scents of blackberry, coffee, and spices. The tannins are dense, the flavors include black cherry, plum, and anise.
Amador's steep hillsides, exceeding 1,400 feet in elevation, and warm daytime climate, followed by cool evenings, make this wine region an ideal site for the cultivation of classic Italian varietals, such as Barbera, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. The terroir of Amador County is also conducive to the planting of Rhone varietals, including: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Viognier. We use old-world, hand crafted winemaking techniques - including traditional basket press - to produce the best Italian and Rhone-style wines that Amador County has to offer.