Tasting Notes
Named after his property’s original winery built in 1906, Eric Sussman's Zinfandel hails from a small block of old Zinfandel vines planted in 1946. These gnarly old gobelet vines give extremely low yields, with crops of less than a tonne per acre the norm. As any Californian grower worth their salt will tell you, Zinfandel is notoriously difficult to grow, with wildly variable ripeness within the bunches. Hence, sorting in the vineyard and winery to remove underripe and overripe berries is an essential part of the process.
Handpicked fruit was destemmed and fermented in small open-top fermenters. Vinification was gentle, and only the free-run juice was used. The wine matured in puncheons and barrels for 20 months, with a negligible portion of new oak. Sussman finds barriques and bottle-aging essential to soften the assertive nature of Zinfandel’s tannins. In contrast to the more opulent, heady Zinfandel wines from warmer zones, Radio-Coteau’s Zinfandel is cast in the coastal mould: higher in acid, bone dry and with stuffing and structure to improve for years.
The 2018 Zinfandel Estate Lemorel is every bit as captivating from bottle as it was from barrel. The aromatics alone are so enticing. As always, Lemorel is an incredibly distinctive Zinfandel that offers a striking combination of savory and earthy flavor to play off a core of dark Zinfandel fruit. Sweet floral notes, spice and pipe tobacco linger. The Lemorel emerges from the oldest Zinfandel vines on the estate, which were planted in 1946. 94 points. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
In the 20 years since its foundation, Radio-Coteau has developed a cult-like following among those who prize purity, balance and finesse. Yet, while Eric Sussman’s wines sell out on allocation each year, he remains a salt-of-the-earth grower who shies away from cultivating an attitude of exclusivity. Crafted from the hillsides of California’s North Coast, the wines broadcast authenticity and a strong sense of place. They are born from great vineyards farmed with detailed care to maximise quality and expression.
Practically within sniffing distance of the famed Heintz Vineyard and bordering the Russian River Valley, the 17-hectare Radio-Coteau site is located on a ridge 240 metres above Occidental, just 12 kilometres from the coast. The property is home to a diverse agrarian platform; alongside the nine hectares of vines (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Riesling and Zinfandel), there are cover crops, owl boxes, raptor perches and beehives. Both organic and biodynamic practices are used, and the vineyard has been Demeter-certified since 2018.
With the muscle work done in the vineyards, Sussman aims to do as little as possible in the winery, again emphasising his “old-world technique with new-world fruit” approach. All fermentations are spontaneous, and there are no additions save for small amounts of sulphur. All red wines are made using free-run juice only, and the whites get only the lightest pressing. Maturation is long and slow, new oak use is minimal, and all wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
You perhaps know enough about the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to know not to hesitate. Yet, as Antoni Galloni has said: “Very few wineries excel at seemingly everything. Radio-Coteau is among them.” For Sussman, Syrah is an unsung hero of the Sonoma Coast. “They’re dynamic and layered with so much depth,” he says of its wines. His bottle-aged Dusty Lane combines silky elegance with delicious, fruity vigour—it’s spot-on. Finally, we offer Sussman’s “captivating” old-vine Zinfandel from 1946 vines rooted in the estate vineyard. No matter the variety, Radio-Coteau’s wines count among California’s most vibrant and nuanced. They call it the Golden State for a reason.
| Product Type | Wine Red Zinfandel & Primitivo |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Sub Region | Sonoma Coast |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |