Our Wines

Jan and Jon Zakin are true lovers of Napa Valley and its elegant, nuanced Cabernet Sauvignon. Since they planted in 2004, they meticulously strive to create wines of true distinction, finesse, and style.

 

CURRENT VINTAGES

Zakin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2019 ZAKIN ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

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2022 ZAKIN ESTATE HILLSIDE ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

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Zakin Russian River Valley Chardonnay

2021 ZAKIN RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

Chardonnay

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2022 Growing Season

The 2022 Grape Harvest: A Season of Extremes

The 2022 harvest began on a serene note, with June and July yielding mild and favorable conditions. However, by August, the heat turned up dramatically, marking the highest recorded Growing Degree Days (GDD) in over two decades setting the stage for a harvest unlike any in recent memory.

Veraison, when grapes change color and signal the start of the ripening process, arrived slightly ahead of schedule.

From September 2 to September 9, the valley found itself in the grip of an intense heatwave—7 straight days where temperatures surged above 100°F, with over 50 hours registering above 95°F. The blistering heat was highest on September 6, when Saint Helena recorded an astounding 124°F, a somewhat unimaginable temperature for the valley.

After the heat, the rest of September brought cooler temperatures and relief, along with rare rain on September 18.  Our vineyards on Howell Mountain recorded the rainfall at 1.51 inches, a welcome event at this crucial time. Even given the extreme heat in early September, the steady, mild conditions of late September and October allowed for extended hang time on the vines—an unexpected blessing that gave the grapes additional time to develop their flavors and complexities.

Despite the challenges, and lower than average yields, the 2022 vintage wines are showing great promise boasting vibrant colors, expressive fruit profiles, and lower tannin levels, making the young wines very approachable yet still full of character.

The 2019 Growing Season

“The 2019 Cabernets are big, bold wines with huge fruit and tons of richness. Acids are generally lower than in the 2018s, while the wines have more volume. Texturally, the tannins are often quite present, which gives the wines a good bit of energy.” Antonio Galloni, Vinous

Overall, the 2019 growing season was similar to the great 2018 season with no major climatic events. The 2019 season brought relatively cooler weather and heavy rainfall in February, March and May with harvest dates closer to “normal”. As with the 2018 vintage, 2019 was defined by a warm August followed by cooler temperatures in September and October. The season was free of any extreme heat events, which allowed for consistent and measured ripening throughout.

Bud break peaked toward the end of March with conditions on the cooler side but were free of any frost events, ensuring good pollination and subsequent fruit set.

“The fruit ripened evenly, and harvesting took place from September 25 to October 21 with yields down from 2018. The grapes picked in September were harvested with great integrity and wonderful flavors. Then, low humidity and windy conditions in October pushed the grapes towards higher brix with ripe, concentrated flavors. Overall, the wines have developed wonderful flavors, dark colors with very smooth, approachable tannins.” – Philippe Melka

The 2018 Growing Season

The 2018 growing season was one of the coolest in the last 10 years, and unlike 2017 also one of the driest.  Only 2008 had less rainfall.  These conditions resulted in bud break a little later than usual and generated larger and heavier clusters. As a result, we were a bit more aggressive dropping fruit. Even so yields were on the high side.

This year also saw a smoke event in Mendocino (the Complex Fire) but fortunately no damage was incurred to the crop.

In general, 2018 was an excellent vintage with large, clean fruit and little shrivel resulting in wines of wonderful depth and complexity that will age beautifully over the years.

Harvesting started with our Cabernet Franc on September 27 and ended with the last of the Cabernet Sauvignon being picked on October 13.

The 2017 Growing Season

2017 was a year of extremes.  By the end of March precipitation totals reached over 40 inches; the seventh wettest rainfall year since record keeping began in 1892, ending the great drought.  High precipitation levels and cooler temperatures resulted in bud break 1-2 weeks later than 2016.  This was made up for by higher temperatures in the second quarter and early September temperature spikes resulted in rapid sugar accumulation.  The harvest started September 27th and ran through October 7th, ending one day before the massive October fires  (started the evening of October 8th).  As a result, we were very fortunate not to have incurred any smoke or fire damage to the grapes.

The 2016 Growing Season

The 2016 growing season started off with a very wet January and continued in through the first quarter.  By the end of March, we were at 96% of the annual precipitation level; a welcome relief after three years of drought.

These conditions led to bud break from March 18-23, a bit later than 2015. The late spring and summer were perfect growing conditions and with flowering occurring in the first two weeks of May.  Veraison started early as well, during the third week of July, and we harvested between September 7th and the 28th, a much longer period than our 2015.

We are very proud of our 2016 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.  The 2016 growing season was wonderful and yielded a wine with great intensity and a deep rich purple color, which we are sure you will enjoy for many years.

The 2015 Growing Season

The 2015 vintage was characterized by an early and warm growing season with low yields producing fruit of exceptional quality. Still in the midst of the several year drought, the vineyard benefited from heavy rains in December of 2014 and February 2015 which provided enough ground water to start the season off at full field capacity. A large number of growing degree days in February resulted in an early bud break and pushed us into an early bloom. From June until the end of the season, temperatures were above normal. With the lighter crop, the vines experienced rapid sugar loading.  Harvest began on September 7th and finished on September 16th.

The 2014 Growing Season

Another dry year with only 25” rainfall during the growing season February and March 2014 rainfall was 11 and 17” which saturated the soils before bud break. Overall rainfall was 55% of normal.

Overall, 2014 was one of the earliest harvests, even slightly earlier than 2004 as harvest began August 13th.

Jim Barbour stated about 2014: “ the earliest end of harvest ever – finishing mid October” Rainfall was very low during the growing season but the events happened at a perfect timing. The temperatures from March to June were 3 to 5 degree higher than normal and so the vines had a strong and fast start resulting of a very healthy canopy, great maturity and large crop.

Growing degree days in 2014 were the highest since 1977: We had about 7 days above 100F, 2 days in September, the 1st and 12th and 2 days in October , the 5th and 12th. Those warm temperatures resulted in high sugar content in the must, similar to the 2013 vintage.

This vintage is a strong one for Napa in general with the reds having deep color, rich and sweet flavors and strong sophisticated tannins.

The 2013 Growing Season

The 2013 growing season was warm and dry with very low rainfall following the December storms. After several years of having a later bud break, this year was more of a normal year for vines to come out of dormancy (bud break 4/3-4/8). Due to the lack of spring rains, especially in March, water management and ground cultivation was closely monitored and started earlier this year. Early seasons irrigations around bud break combined with early season fertilizers helped push consistent shoot growth throughout the vineyard. Due to the warm spring we saw bloom two weeks earlier than normal (5/15). Weather was perfect during fruit set and the vines set a generous crop allowing us to work with plenty of fruit and gave us the ability to thin the crop load accordingly. The season continued to stay warm during the berry formation and berry ripening periods and harvest started 9/27 in blocks 1 and 3C. Harvest continued until 10/27 and finished in block 2A.

The 2012 Growing Season

The 2012 vintage experienced a dry spring, summer and fall, with ideal weather during the bloom and good weather during fruit maturation.  The grapes were harvested between 10/19 and 10/22, before the first fall rains.

Overall the vineyard produced 10.5 tons of grapes of which only 6.4 tons were used to make the Zakin Estate.

2019 ZAKIN ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

$290 | 750ml

“The [Zakin] 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is sensational.  Dark cherry, plum, lavender, mocha (and) spices lend an explosive energy as this brilliant, textured Cabernet Sauvignon builds towards its phenomenal finish. 98pts.  Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Napa Cabernets: Deep Dive, January 2022”

We are so proud of our 2019 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, and of the job Philippe Melka’s team and Silverado Farming did to create such a wonderful wine.

Antonio Galloni includes our 2019 Zakin Estate in his list of the top 24 wines of the vintage and writes “these are the most memorable wines I tasted. Not just the very high scorers, but wines of true distinction readers should be on the lookout for. These are the wines I would want to personally own most.” He calls Zakin Wines “One of Napa Valley’s under the radar gems.”

Philippe Melka, in his winemaker notes, writes, “Dark color with super expressive aromatics …  dark cherry, lavender, menthol and graphite. Full body with layers and layers of refined tannins and hints of sweet fruit. The wine is a true showcase of the Zakin Estate with tons of herbs …. Excellent acidity, super long finish and tension. This wine is complete and refined with great aging potential while already drinking well”.

“The 2019 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon could be the finest release yet from the Zakin’s… a complex aromatic profile… that possesses a gorgeous full-bodied texture with remarkable freshness and purity…outstanding overall balance and precision. Winemaker Philippe Melka has crafted an absolutely incredible wine”. 98 pts International Wine Report, July 2022

The 2019 Zakin Estate Cabernet is comprised of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. This unique blend for our Estate wine, with a significantly larger proportion of Cabernet Franc, provides depth and a fantastic, long finish. The wine was fermented in individual lots, in stainless steel tanks, for an average of 23 days on skins.  It was then aged in 56% French new oak for 20 months.

85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc
Production: 197 cases

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2018 ZAKIN ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

$300 | 750ml

We are very excited to release our beautiful, expressive 2018 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, which we feel is one of our best wines to date. The wine is 100% Estate grown on our Howell Mountain property facing southwest and situated 1,450 feet above the valley floor. The vineyard benefits from rocky volcanic soil and a southwest exposure; conditions ideal for creating rich, beautifully balanced Cabernet Sauvignon.

2018 was an excellent vintage with large, clean fruit and little shrivel resulting in wines of wonderful depth and complexity that will age beautifully over the years.  Our selective harvesting started with our Cabernet Franc on September 27 and ended with the last Cabernet Sauvignon being picked on October 13.

The 2018 Zakin Estate is comprised of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc.  The wine was fermented in individual lots, in stainless steel tanks, for an average of 23 days on skins.  It was then aged in 56% French new oak for 20 months.  There was no fining or filtration.

“The 2018 Zakin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is an exceptional showing of the elegance and restraint of this special site. Inky on the nose & palate, the wine explodes with aromas of dusty blushed berries, pomegranate, and cocoa shavings. Hints of savory black truffle and sea breeze open to a densely layered core of black currant tapered with crushed rocks and a touch of perfumed cedar. The wine expresses a precise tension on the palate- rich and vibrant with a firm backbone and textured, linen-like tannins. The finish is focused but lush, rounding out generously to notes of red fruits and mint. There is a classic feel to this wine that is truly sensational”. Winemaker, Philippe Melka

“The 2018 Zakin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a sensational wine that shows wonderful restraint and poise… it evolves beautifully in the glass and possesses a vibrant medium to full body that is beautifully tapered and backed by a racy core of red and dark currants, florals, spices and minerals that all build up to the polished finish. This is a gorgeous release from the Zakin’s and winemaker Philippe Melka”, International Wine Report, 97 points.

Production: 227 cases

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2017 ZAKIN ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

$310 | 750ml

We are very excited to release our beautiful, expressive 2017 Estate Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is Estate grown on our Howell Mountain property situated 1,450 feet above the valley floor.

2017 was a year of extremes with high levels or precipitation that ended the great drought of the prior years and devastating fires that began on October 8th.  We were very fortunate that there was no fire or smoke damage to the grapes as our harvest ended one day before the fires started on October 8th.

2017 Estate is comprised of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc.  Coming primarily from Block 3 in our Howell Mountain AVA, and our pool bloc which benefits from its steep rocky soil and a southwest exposure, the wine is “rich, ample, and creamy…with tremendous depth and resonance…Super-ripe red cherry fruit, pomegranate, mint, spice and blood orange are some of the many aromas that round out this super expressive wine. ” — Antonio Galoni, Vinous.

92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc
Production: 274 cases

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2016 ZAKIN ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

$320 | 750ml

Our 2016 Estate Cab is a wine we are very proud of and one we know you will truly enjoy. Made with 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Cabernet Franc, fermented on their skins for 26 days and then aged for 20 months in 80% French New oak the wine

“…is a real stunner. Savory, dense and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2016 has so much to offer. Dried rose petal, lavender, mint and kirsch give the 2016 striking savory nuance to play off a core of bright, beautifully chiseled fruit.” — Antonio Galloni, Vinous.

The deep purple color and medium to full bodied wine

“… leaps from the glass… with fantastic intensity and energy, finishing on a beautiful mineral note.” — Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate.

91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet
Production: 255 cases

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2015 ZAKIN FESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

“Dark garnet in color the Estate 2015 exhibits … beautiful aromas of creme de cassis, licorice, raspberries as well as mulberry and a hint of tobacco. In mouth, soft, round layers fold aromas mid palate with soft but not overly sharp tannins and a long finish where the palate is filled with some flavors of mocha.” — Philippe Melka, Winemaker

“Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha and sweet spice note abound in this voluptuous, racy Cabernet Sauvignon” — Antonio Galloni

The 2015 Zakin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich, complex, elegant wine.  After aging 20 months in the barrel (70% French New Oak) and 16 months in the bottle, we feel that this wine is now exhibiting power, balance and a beautiful finish from the Cabernet Franc that we are sure you will appreciate and enjoy.

Production for 2015 was 245 cases of 750ml, 10 six packs of Magnum’s, and 6 3-liter bottles.

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2014 ZAKIN ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

$450 | 750ml

Drinking beautifully already with great integration of flavors of rich dark notes, coffee, nutmeg, sage and ripe raspberry – full of minerality and vibrancy so reminiscent of the site. This wine is more delicate and seductive than the previous vintages.

Philippe Melka

Spearmint, mountain sage, tarragon, and bright raspberries hang suspended from a blueberry cloud. Stepping forward the wine boldly dances over the palate with blackberry and velvet tannins. The arrival is robust and unmistakable, crisp and even, but teasing further embraces with a moments patience. As the flavors percolate the aromas become more heady, darker, bolder, more unctuous – redoubling it’s focus and driving, reaching, striving… There is no mistaking 2014 Zakin Estate for any other wine.

Sommelier, Augie Kersting, Carbon
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2013 ZAKIN ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

$500 | 570ml

The 2013 Zakin Family Estate wine shows concentrated purple at first sight that gives way to just a hint of color more consistent with Bordeaux.

The nose confirms this tendency, as the initial nose is extremely dense and populated with Bordeaux style aromatics of peppercorns and pencil shavings. Tucked behind these aromatics is fresh Napa fruit of raspberry and wild strawberries.

As the wine continues to drink oxygen, it starts to achieve more and more harmonious aromas, launching into lavender, violets, rosemary, sage, tobacco as well as succulent and vibrant Napa fruits of blackberry, cassis, and ripe raspberry.

All the while the tannin structure is impeccably polished and persistent. The wine lingers on the palate with immensely fresh acidity. Structured, balanced and harmonious, the 2013 estate gives all the impression of being able to age indefinitely.

Augie Kersting, former Estate Sommelier at Meadowood Resort
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2012 ZAKIN ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

$600 | 750ml

“The herbaceous, cracked pepper notes of the Cab Franc in this premium blend are complimented by the racy dark fruit characteristics of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Showcasing some scents of spice, cinnamon, tobacco and black raspberry. This wine is about elegance but also shows some soft tannins expressing the hillside vineyard and the Cabernet Franc.”

Philippe Melka, Winemaker.

The 2012 Zakin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is our inaugural bottling and our third release behind the 2013 and the 2014.  After bottling the 2012, we felt the wine would improve with age and decided to hold it back until we felt it reached its full potential.  After 18 months in the bottle, we feel that this wine is now exhibiting power, balance and a beautiful finish that you will appreciate.

Comprised of 100% estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and aged for 21 months in 77% French New Oak, the wine has both elegance and complexity.

“Soft in texture, “harmonious filled with chocolate cherry and shows some expresso on the finish”

Philippe Melka, Winemaker.
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2022 ZAKIN ESTATE HILLSIDE ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

$160 | 750mL – $360 | 1500mL

Our 2022 Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon, made by Philippe Melka,  reflects the uniqueness of the 2022 growing season with near perfect conditions in the beginning of the season and verasion starting slightly early.  Then extreme, near record breaking, heat around Labor Day was followed by cooler temperatures later in September and October resulting in a Hillside wine with vibrant colors, expressive fruit profiles, and lower, balanced tannin levels, making it very approachable now yet still full of character and aging potential.

“The wine reveals a very expressive nose of plum, black cherry and sandalwood; it is already very inviting, and those complex aromatics are giving a sense of strong presence. The mouthfeel is layered with multiple flavors of cassis, blueberry, lead pencil and black cardamom. It gives an impression of great aging potential expressing firm structure and tension.”- Philippe Melka, Winemaker

  • 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes
  • Aged for 18 months in 70% French new oak
  • 104 cases produced

Unfortunately smaller berry size yielded a very  small vintage with only  104 cases produced, a 30% reduction from 2021.

We know you will love this approachable wine now or over time as it improves with age.

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2021 ZAKIN ESTATE HILLSIDE ESTATE

Cabernet Sauvignon

$160 | 750ml – $360 | 1500ml

We are so pleased to release our 2021 Zakin Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a beautiful wine that is approachable now and age worthy for 15 to 20 years. We are excited for you to try it knowing you will love it as much as we do.

The 2021 vintage marks our first Cabernet release following the challenging 2020 Glass and Lightning fires. Despite the grape recovery process from both fires and the ongoing drought, the overall quality of the 2021 harvest exceeded all our expectations. The grapes displayed a remarkable depth of color, a well-balanced tannin structure, and optimal chemistry.

Winemaker, Philippe Melka writes of the 2021 Hillside Cabernet that, “The aromatics explode out of the glass with blackberry and raspberry, violets, savory herbs, and crushed granite. The mouthfeel expresses a balanced structure with beautiful velvety tannins and lively acidity. The wine shows power and tension with flavors of black cherry and cocoa powder, a classic expression of a hillside Cabernet.”

The unique growing conditions of 2021 resulted in smaller berries and clusters, leading to a 16% lower yield compared to 2019. With production of only 145 cases of 750’s and 30 magnums, the 2021 is the smallest release of our Hillside wine ever.

Crafted exclusively from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, the wine was aged approximately 18 months in 70% new French oak barrels, followed by 8 months in the bottle.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production: 147 cases
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2019 ZAKIN HILLSIDE PROPRIETARY

Red Wine Blend

$170.00 | 750ml

The 2019 Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon is primarily grown in our back and pool blocks facing southwest on a beautiful hillside approximately 1,250 feet above the valley floor. These vineyards benefit from long exposures of direct sunlight during the growing season, great drainage and the rocky volcanic soil found on our entire estate. Like all our Estate wines, the vines are pruned to 1-2 clusters per vine.

The 2018 Hillside is blended with 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Cabernet Franc, fermented for 20 days on skins and aged for 20 months in 55% French new oak.

Winemaker Philippe Melka says the 2018 Hillside shows “black fruit with savory qualities of olive tapenade, crème de cassis, graphite, menthol and black cherry. On the palate, the wine shows great acidity and texture with layers of black and red fruit. The herbs, mint and cherries are the first thing that comes to mind. Super-refined tannins hold the wine together giving it a great long finish.

This is a beautifully crafted wine by Philippe Melka.

Production: 173 Cases

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2018 ZAKIN HILLSIDE PROPRIETARY

Red Wine Blend

$180.00 | 750ml

We are very excited to release the inaugural vintage of our 2018 Hillside Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Primarily grown in our Pool Block facing south west on a beautiful hillside approximately 1,250 feet above the valley floor this block receives the most direct sunlight on the during the growing season and benefits from great drainage and the rocky volcanic soil found on our entire estate.

The 2018 Hillside Estate is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Cabernet Franc and aged for 20 months I 60% French new oak. Winemaker, Philippe Melka says the 2018 Hillside is “very expressive, characterized by complex aromatics of cedar, sap, forest floor, floral and fresh mint. The wine is full bodied with a powerful attack, layered with sweet vanilla and dusty oak, savory nuance and bright vivid red fruit.”

On the nose you get aromas of sage, garrigues, dry herbs with some earthy wet soil notes, while in mouth the Cabernet Franc give the wine backbone, beautifully highlights, and a long finish. This richly nuanced wine with supple tannins should age gracefully for many years.

81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc
Production: 257 Cases

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