The blend started by barrel sampling through 16 different lots of Zinfandel and choosing two that were exemplary of the varietal and vintage. The Costa Zin was selected for its acidity, red fruit and spicy pepper with an elegant finish. The Burney Mettler was the opposite - big dark fruit with firm tannins and bold structure. These wines were then blended equally. In the cellar, we added our barrel fermented Farrah Syrah to bring additional depth and toasty vanilla aromas. We then incorporated Cabernet, which encouraged the reemergence of dark fruits and round tannins. Finally, we added Petite Sirah to enhance color and the structural integrity of the blend as well as give the wine aromas of blueberries with a hint of licorice. The final blend consists of 80% Zinfandel, 10% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petite Sirah.