Robert Biale 'Black Chicken' Zinfandel 2021

94 POINTS | Wine Enthusiast This is a tremendously delicious vintage of this wine, made from estate sites within the Oak Knoll District. Blackberry and cinnamon highlight a soft, rich palate that is lengthy and well integrated in French oak, with balanced acidity providing freshness and structure. 

The Biale family has deep roots in Napa Valley agriculture, and their flagship Black Chicken Zinfandel is an absolute classic. The story of how the wine got its name is as rich and intriguing as the wine itself. In the 1940s, the Biale’s were also poultry farmers, but had a multiparty phone line. To stay incognito with their wine sales, customers would call and ask for a dozen eggs and a Gallo Nero or Black Chicken, which was the code-word for a jug of Aldo Biale’s homemade Zin. Fast-forward some 80 years later, and the Black Chicken Zinfandel deserves the reputation they’ve earned for its relentless quality.

The Biale’s source the iconic Black Chicken Zinfandel grapes from the same vineyard that they’ve farmed for generations. This vineyard is in Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll district. The region has complex soils and a micro-climate that’s one of the coolest in Napa Valley, producing gorgeous fruit with incredible character.