2016 Hendry Block 28 Zinfandel Napa Valley 750 ml

Hendry has always made some of our absolute favorite California Zins. This 2016 is a sophisticated red of impeccable balance by one of Napa Valley’s most iconic Zin-producing families. Bursting with beguiling Zinfandel aromas of pepper, licorice, cigar, violet, and camphor to accentuate the briary raspberry tones, we were struck by this Block 28’s closer similarities to our favorite Sicilian and French reds than to its powerhouse Napa Valley counterparts.

Poised from start to finish, with an underlying tension that keeps everything lifted and perfectly balanced, hints of mocha and vanilla spice add intrigue to the red berry profile on the mid-palate. A sophisticated smoky character rounds out the delectably dry finish, making this the perfect accompaniment to any summer steak or BBQ ribs. The 15 months the wine spends aging in French oak is almost undetectable but for its structural polish, and well-integrated tannins will allow this wine to cellar beautifully over the next decade.

As a perennial Wine Access member favorite and one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s top “Wineries to Visit in 2019,” Hendry has remained remarkably relevant for one of Napa Valley’s most historic estates.

To walk through this property is to walk through some of Napa’s most meticulously farmed vines. Their quality is so legendary that—before the Hendry family started bottling their own wines—Robert Mondavi spent the 1980s funneling all the estate’s Cabernet grapes into Opus One, while Zinfandel master Kent Rosenblum put the Hendry name in the spotlight with his spectacular George Hendry Reserve Zinfandel.  

Octogenarian second-generation owner George Hendry planted Block 28 in 1998 using unique, ancestral budwood from old vine Mt. Veeder cuttings known for producing complex and spicy wines. Hendry is among the very few Napa estates that successfully dry farms its vineyards, a common practice in Europe that helps accentuate terroir and vintage expression. The vineyard’s stony, alluvial soils—referred to as “Boomer Series”—lie just 160 feet above sea level, but the morning fog and strong afternoon breezes from San Pablo Bay help moderate the microclimate, accounting for the Old World restraint in the finished Zinfandel. 

Set on 203 sprawling acres in the foothills of the Mayacamas mountains, Hendry Ranch is a rural oasis despite being just minutes northwest of Wine Access HQ in downtown Napa. With vines planted there since 1959, it’s one of Napa’s oldest commercial vineyards and remains a closely guarded secret treasure for longtime locals. We take any excuse to pop over and kick the dirt with George.

George’s family has farmed that very dirt since 1939, meaning all their wines have been estate-produced for going on nine decades. Having a generational memory of over 70 harvests and the resulting expertise yields a connection to the land that money can’t buy—rare in today’s Napa Valley.

After one sip of this irresistible 2016 Block 28, you’ll wish every Zinfandel winemaker could take cues from Hendry. Few Napa Valley reds can pack this much history, tradition, and terroir-driven elegance into a $30 bottle.