Lone Madrone 2021 Zinfandel, Paso Robles

The Lone Madrone 2021 Zinfandel begins with a whisper, not a roar. Primordial aromas of dried cherry and licorice dust sift through warm incense, hints of oregano, and crushed pepper. This is depth with direction—centred but not confined.

On the palate, the wine settles into a winding stretch of layered flavors—black plum ripeness balanced by a breeze of herb and spice. The tannins are earth-rooted, framing the fruit rather than dominating it, while energy stays alive from mid-palate through to a textured, lingering finish.

What gives this Zinfandel clarity is the vineyard behind it. Lone Madrone sources from century-old, dry-farmed head-pruned vines on Old Oak Vineyard in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles—now part of the Sheep Camp bottling. Whole-cluster fermentation in upright foudre vessels, then aged in neutral puncheons, brings both structure and nuance.

Standing firm beside the wine is Lone Madrone’s guiding principle. Since 1996, the Collins family has pursued winemaking rooted in place and sustainable farming. They lean into native fermentation, minimal intervention, and a sense of community—creating wines that emerge from the land, not around it.

This Zinfandel doesn’t demand attention—it resonates. It’s ripe yet poised, bold yet disciplined, a memoir of Paso’s sandy soils and coastal shadow rather than a performance.

Lone Madrone 2021 Zinfandel—quiet intensity, grounded in place.