Dickerson Vineyard, St. Helena, Napa Valley

As grapevines were being introduced to the Napa Valley around the time of the Gold Rush, Zinfandel became a favored variety of the first settlers to the valley. Plantings of Zinfandel only accelerated following the phylloxera epidemic of the later 19th century, making it the most planted variety in the state. So prominent was Zinfandel that the name was not only bestowed upon a steamer travelling between Napa and San Francisco, but also upon a major thoroughfare of the valley in St. Helena. Zinfandel Lane, running the width of the valley, was named after the delicious and prolific grape. Dickerson Vineyard stands on West Zinfandel Lane at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains, the last old vine Zinfandel vineyard on the eponymous street.

Planted by Charles Volpi in the 1920s and thoughtfully preserved by Dr. Bill Dickerson under constant pressure to replant to Cabernet Sauvignon, the vineyard produces wines of extraordinary aromatics and elegance. The old vines standing watch over Zinfandel Lane and the wine they produce are a reminder of Napa Valley’s history and Zinfandel’s perseverance.