Visually, the 2023 Black Sears Estate Zinfandel is a deep eggplant purple, highlighted by a ring of bright magenta at the rim. The nose opens with cherry and roses before evolving into notes of eucalyptus, vanilla, and white pepper. On the palate, this is a wine that feels bright and light, despite numbers that might suggest otherwise, with an herbal and earthy accompaniment to the fresh, red fruit. Soft and welcoming on the approach, it blossoms into a bouquet of bing cherries, strawberries, orange zest, and black pepper on the palate. The finish is all mineral, earthiness, herbs and spices – the flavors of a mountaintop forest whose thirst has, at last, been extinguished.
