93-Points by Robert Parker & Wine Enthusiast.
Plush and bright, with hints of stone, violet and earth, this 100% varietal wine is named for a gravelly loam soil found on the side slopes of mountains marked by sandstone and shale. Concentrated blackberry and currant present as rich and round, with seamless tannin and decadent oak.
 
The Mauritson family have been growing grapes in the Dry Creek Valley for more than 140 years, but they only started making wine commercially back in 1996, when son Clay returned from college at the University of Oregon. From the winery: "Not only is Block 5 the home of the winery, but it is also home to the backbone of our Dry Creek zinfandel. Planted in 1980, these 40-year-old old vines are just hitting their prime. Located at the corner of Dry Creek and Lytton Springs Roads, it's hallowed ground for zinfandel. The sandy loam is thick with river rock, as is much of the Dry Creek valley floor. The great drainage in the soil produces smaller berries and limits the overall yields. This is also one of the earliest vertical trellis systems in the valley, giving us great canopy management, with mature vines. The resulting fruit is prototypical Dry Creek valley zinfandel: full of bright berry fruits, black pepper, silky tannins and a long complex finish.