Unauthorized

Being a native Californian and a local in northern California wine country, I find myself drinking a lot of California wine. And when Robert Parker's annual Northern California reports are published, I'm always eager to see which wines receive the most praise. As autumn sets in and the vineyards becomes a rainbow of colors, I find myself reaching for hearty reds like Zinfandel. So, in honor of Robert Parker's Part One of his Northern California reports, I've compiled a list of 15 Zinfandels scoring 90 points or higher in Issue 227. These top-scoring Zinfandels come from appellations across Napa Valley and Sonoma County.

1. Vineyard 29: 2014 Zinfandel Aida Estate
   
2. Bedrock Wine Co: 2015 Zinfandel Monte Rosso
   
3. Louis Martini: 2014 Gnarly Vine Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard
   
4. Hartford Family Winery: 2015 Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard
   
5. Bedrock Wine Co: 2015 Zinfandel Limerick Lane
   
6. Limerick Lane: 2014 Zinfandel Limerick Lane Estate
   
7. Outpost: 2014 Zinfandel Howell Mountain
   
8. Scherrer: 2013 Zinfandel Old and Mature Vines 
9. Gallo Signature Series: 2014 Zinfandel 
10. Carlisle Winery: 2015 Zinfandel Papera Ranch
11. Mount Peak Winery: 2014 Zinfandel Rattlesnake
12. Once and Future: 2015 Zinfandel Bedrock Vineyard
13. Ghost Block: 2014 Zinfandel Pelissa Vineyard
14. Marietta: 2014 Zinfandel Angeli Cuvee
15. Novy Family Wines: 2014 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard