GAMBA VINEYARDS & WINERY
2020 SPRING ZINFANDEL RELEASES
2018 GAMBA ESTATE VINEYARD MCM
2018 MESSANA VINEYARD
Is this the best Gamba Estate Old Vine Zinfandel ever? Well, it’s certainly right up there.
On Thursday, May 21st, wine journalist and critic, Jeb Dunnuck released his latest article entitled “Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018,” where he reviews the vintage in Sonoma County and new releases from some of our favorite wineries, including the new Zinfandel releases from Gamba Vineyards & Winery. (You can read more about Jeb Dunnuck below.)
Reviews of the 2018 Gamba Estate MCM and Messana Vineyards by Jeb Dunnuck
GAMBA VINEYARDS & WINERY
GAMBA ESTATE VINEYARD – MCM
2018 OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $52 per bottle
Members’ price: $45 per bottle
The Gamba Estate Vineyard is an ideal example of an “old vine” vineyard that one will find having been planted in 1900. The vineyard is meticulously farmed by Gus Gamba and his small crew who adhere to sustainable, organic farming practices. The vineyard is dry farmed relying only on water provided by winter rains. This is the 120th year since it’s planting… hence the MCM designation.
Review from JebDunnuck.com
Rating: 95 Points
“Coming all from the estate in the Russian River valley and all old vine Zinfandel, the 2018 Zinfandel Estate MCM is a deeply hued 2018 with a beautiful bouquet of blueberries, wild strawberries, cedary spice, orange blossom, and exotic flowers. It’s beautifully balanced, has silky tannins, and just does everything right. It’s a rich, medium to full-bodied Zinfandel yet stays balanced and light on its feet. It’s a beauty.”
GAMBA VINEYARDS & WINERY
2018 MESSANA VINEYARD ZINFANDEL
FOUNTAIN GROVE DISTRICT
SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at: $65 per bottle
Members’ price: $55 per bottle
Gus Gamba’s Notes:
The Vineyard: “Culled from the historic Bastoni ranch in Sonoma County, our limited production Messana Vineyard Zinfandel from Gamba Vineyards and Winery is a special selection in our stable of limited offerings…. Because of its ideal site, soils and micro-climate, the ranch has been sought after by wineries over the years for its exceptional fruit…. Growing in the heart of the newly designated Fountain Grove AVA, straddling Napa and Sonoma, we jumped at the opportunity to work with this legendary fruit when this magical site became available to us.”
Review from JebDunnuck.com
Rating: 93 Points
“Coming from the Fontaingrove District of Sonoma County, the 2018 Zinfandel Messana Vineyard is another classy Zinfandel from this estate. Sweet plums, blueberries, white pepper, candied violets, orange blossom, and spice all emerge from the glass, and this ripe, soft, sexy 2018 has a wealth of sweet fruit yet still stays lively and balanced. Drink it over the coming 4-6+ years.”
NOTE: All wines offered for sale on this website are sold through our affiliate and fulfillment partner, Wine Country Connection.
About Gamba and What’s Going On in the Vineyard Now!
Gus Gamba considers himself a steward of the land and utilizes sustainable and organic farming practices in his family’s Estate Vineyard planted in 1900. His ancient vines are dry-farmed and have relied on winter rains as their sole source of irrigation for over 100 years.
As for the 2018 vintage, Gus says, “The exceptional conditions during the growing season lead to an ideal harvest of high quality, perfectly ripened fruit, resulting in outstanding wines.”
What’s going on in the Vineyard Now (May 2020)?
“With discing and hand hoeing behind us, shoot thinning is taking place in the vineyard. Sonoma County has been enjoying some late spring rains, and the sun is coming out just in time for flowering.” Check out the video below to hear more about this from winemaker Gus Gamba!
About Jeb Dunnuck
If you are not familiar with Jeb Dunnuck, he was an aerospace engineer by training who started his “The Rhone Report” blog in 2008. Robert Parker, Jr. approached him to join The Wine Advocate in 2013 when Jeb gave up his engineer.
Described as a younger version of himself by Robert M. Parker Jr., Dunnuck was the leading reviewer for California, Washington and Southern France from 2013 to 2017, publishing more reviews than any other professional reviewer.
In 2017, Jeb decided to leave the Wine Advocate and go back to his roots as an independent wine critic, launching his own publication JebDunnuck.com, and today is considered to be one of the top wine critics and professional reviewers.
