2015 Vintage — 6 Bottle Combo
This pack includes three (3) bottles of our Secret Stones, Rockpile Vineyard 2015, and three (3) of the Montecillo Vineyard 2015.
2015 saw very low yields for both the Secret Stones and Montecillo vineyards—a focus on sorting only the highest quality grapes brought us into a low production, yet altogether unique pair of offerings. With the combination of intensity, structure, and concentration found here, we knew these would be wines that would see more than the typical benefits from cellaring. Now that these wines have had 5 years of age, they are exceeding that lofty expectation.
If you are new to Beekeeper, or weren't able to resist opening these bottles when you first acquired them, this may be the perfect combo pack for you.
2015 Secret Stones, Rockpile Vineyard
Connoisseurs' Guide | 96 points + 3 stars
Sporting the density and muscular structure that we have come to expect in Beekeeper Zins, the latest Secret Stones offering is a fascinating, multi-faceted look at the variety that evokes an unmistakable sense of fruity depth and potency as well as yet-to- be-fully-revealed complexity. Its slowly expanding, dark berry aromas are laced with elements of soil and spice that are carried into its very solid, impressively concentrated, somewhat brooding young flavors, and, although presently slightly roughed up by its late-arriving tannins, it possesses such fruity stamina that there is simply no doubting that great things lie ahead. It belongs in the cellar for now and not at the table, and drinking it before it has had another four or five years of age would be doing it an unforgivable injustice.
Wine Advocate | 93+ points
The 2015 Zinfandel Rockpile Secret Stones is medium to deep garnet-purple in color and delivers dark fruited, earthy notions of blackberry compote, baked blueberries and plum preserves with nuances of charcoal, scorched earth and espresso. Full-bodied and built like a brick house in the mouth, it has a firm structure of chewy tannins and lively acid supporting the densely packed black fruit and earthy layers, finishing long and savory
2015 Montecillo Vineyard
Connoisseurs' Guide | 95 points + 3 stars
Striking in its depth and a bold, big-boned rendition of serious structure that begs for time in the cellar, the latest from Beekeeper is an authoritative Zinfandel of great substance and strength. Its boundless, blackberry-like fruit is enriched with integral oak and deft touches of sweet spice, and, although not in the least lacking for ripeness, it stays clear of compromising heat. It will not come into its own for a good half-dozen years, and we have no qualms about predicting that it will age beautifully and reward keeping for another decade after that. While a bit different than previous efforts from this winery in that it recalls the extra concentration of a fine Amarone, it is a collectable Zin that takes its usual place among the very best of the vintage.
Wine Advocate | 94 points
The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Zinfandel Montecillo Vineyard has a very serious, rather broody nose of baked black plums and blackberry pie with hints of tar, chargrill, licorice and fertile loam. Medium to full-bodied, the palate sports taut, muscular black fruit and a rock-solid frame of chewy tannins, with superb freshness and a very long earth and mineral-laced finish.
Valued at $480. No substitutions permitted.
These wines will ship on November 11th, weather permitting.
2016 Vintage — 6 Bottle Combo
This pack includes three (3) bottles of our Secret Stones, Rockpile Vineyard 2016, and three (3) of the Montecillo Vineyard 2016. Every season we show off Zinfandel's power to rise above other varietals with intelligent investments in quality and care.
The 2016 Secret Stones was a beast at bottling, and it is now nearing it's prime level of maturity; we love this wine with 5 years under its belt. Our estimation has been that in 2021, it will have reached its' zenith, and with that time right around the corner—one of the most magnificent wines we have managed to produce will start coming out of our supporters' cellars and wowing them at the table.
The Montecillo Vineyard was just as ideally realized in 2016, with some of the most attractive conditions we have seen in our time winemaking. The first vintage that we implemented the use of the T4 French Oak barrel showed a quick return on investment—the balanced nature and purity of this wine are sublime, and will only continue to refine over time.
2016 Secret Stones, Rockpile Vineyard
Connoisseurs' Guide | 95 points + 3 stars
It has been rightly said that wine is a living thing that changes for good and bad over time, that it undergoes phases of advance and retreat, yet experience teaches that those changes, such as they may be, are almost never fundamental. A revised review, while very rare, is not without precedent here at CGCW, but we can categorically say that this month’s reprised tasting of the 2016 Beekeeper Secret Stones Zin is a happy, three-star surprise, and those who managed to put a bottle or two away will be more than happy that they did.
Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ points
Also straight-up thrilling stuff, the 2016 Zinfandel Secret Stones includes slightly more Petite Sirah (20%) and comes all from the Rockpile Vineyard. Aged 15 months in 25% new French oak, it’s a full-bodied, deep, rich 2016 that has plenty of intensity in its blackberry fruit and notes of ground herbs, pepper, licorice, and hints of graphite. With fine tannins and a seamless texture, drink it over the coming decade or more.
2016 Montecillo Vineyard
Connoisseurs' Guide | 97 points + 3 stars
Zinfandel is rarely the recipient of the kind of swollen prose and lofty scores that are routinely thrown Cabernet Sauvignon’s way, but we suspect that even the fussiest collector of trophy wines will rethink their opinion of the variety when met with an example as deep and wonderfully well-crafted as the latest Beekeeper is. While very rich and long on exceptionally pure varietal fruit, the wine is already showing uncommon finesse and tailoring, and it is destined to age famously and grow ever more involving over the course of the next five to ten years. It is most definitely a 'keeper' and deserves a place in the cellar of every serious Zinfandel devotee.
Jeb Dunnuck | 94 points
"The 2016 Zinfandel Montecillo Vineyard (there’s 5% Petite Sirah) is a classy, medium to full-bodied, elegant Zinfandel that has lots of classic blue fruits, cedar, and white pepper aromas and flavors. Aged 15 months in 25% new French oak, it has a great texture, terrific overall balance, and is a sensational Zinfandel from this great vintage."
Valued at $440. No substitutions permitted.
These wines will ship on November 11th, weather permitting.
Rockpile Full Vertical Combo
This pack contains every vintage of the Secret Stones, Rockpile Zinfandel that we have ever produced—the ultimate Beekeeper experience in a single box.
This pack includes one bottle per vintage from 2009 to 2017, nine (9) bottles in total. Every season we show off Zinfandel's power to rise above other varietals with intelligent investments in quality and care. One of our most consistently highly rated bottles, the Rockpile zin is has always been powerful, elegant, and subject to age beautifully since our first "stunning newcomer"—this noble and enchanting vineyard has always pushed the limits for us, even in the most difficult vintages.
2017 Secret Stones (New Release)
"The nose is a firm and savory tapenade with soaked cherries and camphor showing underlying espresso and mocha. The palate entry is exceptionally open and supple with textured blackberry and dark stone fruits in the core delivering mouth-coating density and sense of purity" 97 Points, Purely Domestic Wine Report
"Rocking levels of plums, cedary spice, licorice, and brambly herbs emerge from the 2017 Zinfandel Secret Stones, which includes a splash of Petite Sirah and spent 18 months in just 20% new French oak. Possessing medium to full body, ultra-fine tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and a seamless, silky mouthfeel, it’s an awesome Zinfandel, especially noteworthy given that 2017 was incredibly challenging for this variety" 95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
2016 Secret Stones
"A happy, three-star surprise" 95 Points, Connoisseur's Guide
"Straight-up thrilling stuff" 94+ Points, Jeb Dunnuck
"An A+ quality vintage" Inspired Citizen
2015 Secret Stones
"There is simply no doubting that great things lie ahead" 96 Points, Connoisseur's Guide
"Full bodied and built like a brick house in the mouth" 93+ Points, Wine Advocate
2014 Secret Stones
"Hits all the pleasure buttons" 96 Points, Purely Domestic Wine Report
"This Secret Stones version confirms the winery's place as one of the very best Zinfandel makers in the business" 95 Points, Connoisseur's Guide
"A fun, heady, elegant Zin that surely is at the top of its class" 95 Points, Steve Heimoff
2013 Rockpile
"About as deep and concentrated as Zinfandel can get and still be fully fruity and remarkably vital and energetic at the same time" 97 Points, Connoisseur's Guide
"A classic, full-throttle, pedal-to-the-metal Zinfandel" 93 Points, Robert Parker
2012 Secret Stones
"Once again, Beekeeper has offered up a profound Zinfandel possessed of exceptional depth" 95 Points, Connoisseur's Guide
"This really is picture-perfect Sonoma Zin. A wonderful, complete, wholesome Zinfandel" 94 Points, Steve Heimoff
2011 Secret Stones
"It's combination of suppleness, integrated tannins and enlivening acidity bring it a real measure of crafting rare in big Zinfandels" 96 points, Top Ten Wines of the Year, Connoisseur's Guide
2010 Secret Stones
"There is a rich quality here that speaks to first-class winemaking and reminds a bit of top shelf Pinot Noir" 93 Points, Connoisseur's Guide
2009 Secret Stones
"There are more than a few Zinfandels that display impressive concentration and depth, but not many manage to combine power and polish quite the way that this stunning newcomer does." 95 Points, Connoisseur's Guide
Valued at over $775.
No substitutions permitted.
Limit 1 per customer.
Wines will ship on November 11th, weather permitting.
2017 Vintage — 9 Bottle Combo
This pack includes three (3) bottles of our new 2017 Secret Stones, Rockpile Vineyard, three (3) bottles of the 2017 Hidden Hillside Reserve, and three (3) bottles of the 2017 Montecillo Vineyard. With two 97 Point reviews for the Secret Stones and Hidden Hillside, one 94 Point review for the Montecillo from Purely Domestic Wine Report, and a 95 Point review from Jeb Dunnuck for the Secret Stones (the highest score we have received from Jeb as of yet), a challenging vintage has turned into the most rewarding in our history. This combo pack is surely the best option for collecting our newest releases.
Please enjoy and celebrate with us yet another breathtaking moment in our winemaking journey!
2017 Secret Stones (New Release)
Purely Domestic Wine Report | 97 Points
The nose is a firm and savory tapenade with soaked cherries and camphor showing underlying espresso and mocha. The palate entry is exceptionally open and supple with textured blackberry and dark stone fruits in the core delivering mouth-coating density and sense of purity.
Jeb Dunnuck | 95 Points
Rocking levels of plums, cedary spice, licorice, and brambly herbs emerge from the 2017 Zinfandel Secret Stones, which includes a splash of Petite Sirah and spent 18 months in just 20% new French oak. Possessing medium to full body, ultra-fine tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and a seamless, silky mouthfeel, it’s an awesome Zinfandel, especially noteworthy given that 2017 was incredibly challenging for this variety.
2017 Hidden Hillside Reserve
Purely Domestic Wine Report | 97 Points
The nose is immediately open and assertive with forward orange, plum and wild grape flecked with Demerara and cocoa powder. The palate entry is supple, polished stone fruits integrated with orange, sandalwood and nutmeg that deliver a saturated yet lively dimension to the core. Youthful on the finish. Give it a year, really.
Connoisseur's Guide | 95 Points + 3 Stars
Picking a favorite from the new Beekeeper releases each year is far from easy, but it is a task that is nothing less than a pure joy, and the winery’s three new offerings only strengthen its place as a Zinfandel maker at the absolute top of its game. The 2017 Hidden Hills Reserve, while a bit tight, is a wine of enormous depth and detail and, as expected, shows the structure and sheer fruity volume that typify Beekeeper’s very best efforts. It surprises a bit by being momentarily juicy in a way that almost tempts drinking now, but, however rich it may be in its youth, its tantalizing suggestions of certain layering to come keep us from prematurely pulling its cork. Expect no fewer than five or six years of positive growth and count on it being better yet as it reaches its tenth anniversary.
2017 Montecillo Vineyard
Connoisseur's Guide | 95 Points + 3 Stars
This extraordinarily well-crafted Zinfandel is so deep in optimally ripened varietal fruit as to be inviting right now, but it has the solidity and structural bones of a wine that promises to be nothing less than a highly collectable classic with age. It presently teases with a lovely, very generous mix of juicy, black and red berries judiciously framed by sweet oak before its grippy tannins impart a bit of tightening astringency at the finish, and, while it is never not so rough and ragged as to prohibit drinking in the relatively short term, its composition and keen balance are the sure markers of a Zinfandel that will improve for a full decade, if not more.
Valued at over $600. No substitutions permitted.
These wines will ship on November 11th, weather permitting.
New Release 2017
