2021 Hendry Blocks 7 & 22 Zinfandel Napa Valley 750 ml

George O. Hendry himself educated us on why this bottling has remained a flagship over the years. “Blocks 7 & 22 do some things very naturally that are hard to do in the winery,” he said. “It’s on very austere soil, and the vines are stressed quite a bit. We get structure in the wine, and significant mouthfeel while still maintaining the characteristic Zinfandel fruit.” 

First planted with grapes 150 years ago, the Hendry estate is now heading into its ninth decade being run by the family, which purchased it in 1939. As Napa Valley wines rose in fame in the 1970s, Hendry Ranch fruit began to stand apart, and by the late 80s, Robert Mondavi was funneling Hendry Cabernet into Opus One. Around the same time, Zinfandel master Kent Rosenblum put the Hendry name in the spotlight with his spectacular George Hendry Reserve Zinfandel.  

Because the Hendry estate is close to the cooling influence of San Pablo Bay but far enough north to enjoy the kind of heat that facilitates fantastic ripeness, it’s ideal for many different grapes. That climatic tightrope is also what happens to make Hendry Ranch perfect for exquisite Zinfandel, which takes up nearly a quarter of the 114 acre estate. 

George made a Block 7 Zinfandel in 1992—it was one of his original wines—and when Block 22 started bearing fruit (it was planted in 1995), he realized that he could barely taste the difference between 7 & 22 when he tasted them blind. Combining them was the natural thing to do. Now, three decades later, Block 7 & 22 remains one of Hendry’s marquee wines.