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It all started in the 1940s when 14-year-old Aldo Biale helped his mother make ends meet by selling to insider Napans – along with eggs and produce – some of the family’s homemade Zinfandel. Over the old “party line” phone system, the code words “a Black Chicken” signified a jug of bootleg wine…and kept nosy neighbors and the authorities from finding out about Aldo’s underground Zinfandel operation! Legally produced since 1999, Black Chicken Zinfandel pays homage to the industrious patriarch of the Biale family and the prominence of Zinfandel in the history of the Napa Valley.

The heart of Black Chicken is sourced from vineyards in the Oak Knoll District, among them the same family vineyard Aldo, Nonna, Bob and the Biale family have farmed since the 1930’s. Additional sources come from our estate vineyard surrounding the winery, from neighboring growers in the Oak Knoll, as well as from other long-standing wine-growing families in the Napa Valley. Black Chicken stands as the quintessential expression of Zinfandel from the Napa Valley.

Winemaking: Our winemaking begins in the vineyard with meticulous attention to detail and close monitoring by Bob Biale and winemaker David Natali. Fruit is hand-harvested, sorted in the field, and sorted again at the winery. Destemmed, the grapes are then fermented in open top tanks with punch downs gently carried out two to three times per day. Pressed, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in 100% French oak barrels, of which 30% is new. Aged for 15 months in barrel.

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: Showing the influence of the breezy and fog-laced Oak Knoll District, the wine offers rich, plush fruit, delicate acidity and a structure defined by well-ripened, fine-grained tannins. Vibrant aromas of black cherry, dried herbs, and sandalwood on the nose. Expansive on the palate with notes of blackberry, orange peel, plum, and baking spices all driven to a long finish by balanced acidity.