Awards & Reviews

2007 Lampyridae Vineyard, Zinfandel
88 – Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine
Volume 33 Issue 11: September 2009

The first impression upon smelling this wine is that it has given itself over to pushy, toasty, spotlight-grabbing oak. But, as is often the case, first impressions can be misleading, and, here that was so, because there is plenty of ripe blackberry fruit underneath just yearning to breathe free, which it does with little more than a hard shake of the glass. The wine is full in body, on the supple side to start but drifts into slight stiffness in the latter palate and wants a bit of aging.

2006 Lampyridae Vineyard Zinfandel
90 points – Wine Enthusiast

Mount Veeder is one of the best sources of Zinfandel in California, and this bottling shows why. It’s very dry, richly textured and elegant, with succulent flavors of black, blue and red berries, currants, carob, tobacco, herbs, pepper and Asian spices. Drink now with beef and pork dishes. – S.H. (2/1/2009)

2006 Fortunati Vineyard Syrah
90 points - Wine Spectator

"Serves up a complex mix of dark berry, blue, boysenberry and huckleberry all show prominently displayed, joined by spice, leather, cedar and herbal scents. Supple textured." Drink now through 2013.—J.L.    Order Now! - Limited Availability

2005 Lampyridae Vineyard Zinfandel
94 points – Wine Enthusiast

Serious Zinfanatics have another wine to consider with this big, bold and impressive release from way up on Mount Veeder. It’s dense and blackberry, cherry, Cola, tangerine, fig and dusty Asian spice flavors that go on and on, lasting into a long finish that’s thoroughly dry. Just delicious now, and with the tannic integrity to last for years. Editors Choice.

2005 Fortunati Vineyard Syrah
87 - Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine

Elegance is simply not in the cards for this dense and blustery youngster, yet it still gets the nod for its undeniable richness and depth. Biased to ripeness, solidly fruity and filled out by a full measure of sweet oak, it presently runs to tannic coarseness and heat, but its fundamental fruit fights through at the finish and makes a good case for five or six years of rest in the cellar.