2023 Dancing Zinfandel Fresh Take Dry Creek Valley 750 ml

When mother-daughter duo Cynthia and Lauren Russell moved from New York to Sonoma County, they had visions of Zinfandel. And they went straight to the county’s spiritual home for the grape: Dry Creek Valley. 

For this stunner, their newly acquired vineyard in Dry Creek Valley, perhaps Sonoma’s most famous appellations for the grape. Dry Creek’s Mediterranean climate allows grapes to ripen beautifully, while the well-drained soils force roots to dig deep into the earth, imbuing the berries with character and concentration. It’s not a coincidence that some of California’s most revered Zinfandels—like Rafanelli, Ridge Lytton Springs, Seghesio, and others—bear Dry Creek on the label. 

The Russells didn’t have the luxury of waltzing onto a turnkey property, waving a hand, and making magical Zin. In fact, the vineyard they purchased was scarred from Sonoma’s 2020 fires. They had to work hard to rehab the vineyard, planting vines that will be putting forth fruit in the next few vintages. The wine they made in 2023, from a mix of old and newer vines, reflects the multigenerational spirit of the Dancing label itself. 

Zinfandel vines can age over a century, and Cynthia and Lauren estimate that the vines on their property are between 20 and 80 years old. These vines—with the help of a TINY bit of Petit Verdot, plus Carignan from 145-year-old vines!—created a 2023 Zinfandel of delicious balance.

Here’s how Dancing differs from the classic Zins you’ll find in Dry Creek Valley. First, the packaging, a whimsical Burgundy-shaped bottle that certainly stands out against the main players in the space. Second, they harvest their grapes a bit earlier than is customary in the region. Ripe grapes can make for rich, full-bodied, jammy wines, so Fresh Take offers a lighter, livelier version than the Zin loyalists might be accustomed to. 

This is a stunning bottle from a duo that’s going places in this business. We can’t wait to see where Dancing ends up—but for now, we’re just thrilled to be drinking their wine. We know you will be too.