Every so often you meet someone who truly loves their work. The enthusiasm that flows from these people is contagious and you find yourself rapt in the excitement of what they are doing. Winemaker, Carol Shelton, is one of these people. Her passion for wine is as remarkable as the wine itself, which captures the taster in a sensory web of complexity and depth.

A quick swirl, sniff and taste make it clear how she became America’s most awarded winemaker for 12 of the last 15 years. Expressive wines made from carefully selected vineyards are the secret to her success, developed from over 22 years of winemaking experience in California and Australia.

Carol is a zinfandel fanatic, sourcing her grapes from some of the best vineyards in the state. As an early director of the “Zinfandel Advocates and Producers” or “ZAP” organization she has worked tirelessly to promote California’s “indigenous” grape to the delight of critics and wine lovers alike.

At its best, zinfandel produces rich wines loaded with blueberry, blackberry and brambly spice that can pair well with everything from grilled steak with mushrooms to Thanksgiving turkey. Luxuriant dark fruit meld with smooth tannins, to make zinfandel an easy drinking red wine loaded with structure.

“Wild Thing”, “Monga”, “Karma”, and “Rocky Reserve” hint to the expressiveness of Carol’s zinfandel. These are premium wines that sell for $20-$30 a bottle but are among a handful of California zinfandel that are truly worth this price. We rarely recommend wine in this price range, but trust us; they will make you want to ZIN! We wish we had room to talk about Carol’s pinot noir, merlot and cabernet, made with the same attention to detail.