From head-trained vines more than 100 years old, the 2018 Zinfandel Jolene's Vineyard was aged in French oak, 28% new, for nine months. Medium garnet-purple colored, it opens with notions of blackberry pie, fruitcake and plum preserves plus hints of Indian spices, sandalwood and fragrant earth with a waft of black loam. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and chock-full of black and blue fruit, it has a chewy texture and loads of freshness, finishing with epic length. 280 cases were made.

Jolene’s Vineyard comes from head trained vines planted over 100 years ago. It is aged for 12 months in French oak, 55% new and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Medium to deep garnet in color, the 2015 Zinfandel Jolene’s Vineyard presents black cherry, baked blueberries and blackberry preserves notes with hints of incense, sautéed herbs and dusty earth. Rich, full-bodied and packed with layers of berry coulis and savory flavors, it has a gorgeous velvety texture and great length. 247 cases were made.

The 2013 Zinfandel Jolene’s Vineyard also comes from head-pruned vines over 100 years of age. It spends 8-9 months in 28% new French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. A potentially outstanding effort, it is somewhat closed and tart acids dominate its raspberry and red and black cherry flavor profile. Medium to full-bodied with heady alcohol, it should drink well between 2015 and 2023.

The 2012 Zinfandel Jolene’s Vineyard (300 cases produced) is a big, blockbuster effort at 15.6% alcohol. It possesses an unctuous texture as well as a huge nose of black raspberry, black cherry and floral notes with some charcuterie, roasted meat and bouquet garni in the background. Enjoy this supple, full-throttle red over the next 5-6 years. One of the most impressively run wineries in the Russian River AVA is the Hartford Family Winery, where proprietor Don Hartford is backed up by winemaker Jeff Stewart as well as all the resources of the Jackson Family Vineyards. These are Burgundian-styled Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, and their Zinfandels are All-American, full-throttle, pedal-to-the metal efforts that are consistently at the top of their class. The Chardonnay sites tend to be cool climate, to the point that in some harvests there is a risk of not being able to bring in ripe fruit. Production levels for these beautiful Chardonnays range from a low of 268 cases for the Four Hearts to over 700 cases for the Stone Cote. The Pinot Noirs experience the same upbringing, being aged around 16 months in French oak, with the percentage of new barrels ranging from the mid-40% to just over 50%. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered, and even in a challenging vintage such as 2011, the alcohols can range from the high 14% to 15.2%. Production varies from a low of 200 cases to a high of 2,500 cases for the Lands Edge Vineyard Pinot. Hartford has always made incredible Zinfandels. It’s a credit to the Jackson family, and Jess Jackson’s son-in-law, Don Hartford, that although a number of brilliant winemakers have worked at Hartford, the consistency of these wines has been sensational. Every one of them comes from vines planted by Italian immigrants in 1905 and 1906, and most of the vineyards have a portion planted with what the Californians call mixed blacks, such as Alicante, Petite Sirah, Carignan and other red grapes. www.hartfordwines.com

The 2011 Zinfandel Jolene’s Vineyard is laced with sweet tobacco, wild flowers, sage and rosemary. The style is less obvious than in many of the other wines in this range, instead, the Jolene’s relies on its energy and focus to impress, which it does quite nicely. The finish is all about precision and nuance. Jolene’s emerges from a parcel of 100+-year-old head-trained vines. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2019. Proprietor Don Hartford and winemaker Jeff Stewart have done a fabulous job with these new releases. It is rare for a winery to excel with so many different wines across three varieties and a bevy of sites. Each of these wines is unique and distinctive, not to mention that virtually all of the wines are immensely pleasing as well. This year, I was especially taken with the 2011 Zinfandels, wines that all have tremendous energy and vibrancy. At times, the Hartford Zinfandels can be quite Pinot-like in style. Tel. (800) 588-0234