“Harvesting optimally ripened grapes at just the right time lends itself to making a great bottle of wine.”—Shelly Rafanelli, winemaker, A. Rafanelli Winery
While Alberto Rafanelli was working as a carpenter rebuilding San Francisco after the 1906 Earthquake, his wife, Letizia, made trips to Sonoma County, buying grapes to make wine. The Italian immigrants who met in San Francisco, eventually moved to Healdsburg where they started A. Rafanelli Winery, operated today by two of their great granddaughters. Shelly Rafanelli Fehlman, serves as the winemaker, and Stacy Rafanelli DuBois runs daily operations.
With four generations of wine and grape-growing experience, Rafanelli’s Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel is a voter favorite once again this year. When asked what makes their Zinfandel special, Shelly says, “We have a classic style of Zinfandel that is traditionally handcrafted.” The grapes are all grown in Dry Creek Valley, known for being one of the best Zinfandel growing regions. The small, narrow valley has much diversity with the microclimate and sub-micro climates, a wide range of soils, warm days and cool nights and a coastal influence that is perfect for Zinfandel grapes. Some of their vines are 110-plus years old and dry farmed, which bodes well during times of drought. Shelly says that sourcing grapes from the same vineyards also lends itself to their very consistent style and highly, sought-after wine. “Even though Mother Nature adds subtle differences into that wine from year to year, if you like our style, you will be drawn to our wine.”
Rafanelli Winery starts out with good vines and then Shelly and her team, including her husband Craig who manages their vineyards, spend a lot of time in the vineyards paying careful attention to each and every vine to help it produce the best fruit possible. Grapes are hand-picked and sorted, then fermented in small open top tanks, where manual punchdowns occur. “Harvesting optimally ripened grapes at just the right time lends itself to making a great bottle of wine,” says Shelly.
The winery produces 10,000 cases a year of red wine, and though it’s well-known for its Zinfandel, it also produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and an Estate Blend fashioned in the Bordeaux style. Their wines are only available through the winery and you can find their Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon at select restaurants. Currently, there is a waiting list to join their A List, which gives members priority to purchase new releases once a year. Many A-listers pick up their wine on a visit to the beautiful historic winery. In 1952, the sisters’ grandfather, Americo Rafanelli, purchased the property and transformed the barn into a working winery. The tasting room is an intimate space with redwood walls, wooden barrels and a cement floor embedded with hoof marks and chicken prints from the days when the building served as a barn.
Each generation brings a new element to the winery and Americo’s son, David, worked with Shelly to build a wine cave. The cave naturally stays at an ideal wine storage temperature of 57 degrees year round and features a dining area where the team often conducts meetings and family dinners have been enjoyed. The space is tastefully decorated with nostalgia, family photos and artifacts such as a still made from their great grandmother’s copper wash tub and an elegant bust of Americo.
The team at Rafanelli is flattered to win Best Zinfandel again this year, as an NBb reader favorite. “Everyone considers this honor to be a big compliment,” says Shelly. “It shows our A list members and all the businesses and restaurants we work with what a strong community we have. It’s motivating for all of our team, including our wine educators and hosts, to win this award, and we appreciate the support.”
[Photos courtesy of A, Rafanelli Winery]
