Mohr-Fry Lodi · Beckstone Livermore
Fortified Zinfandel / Syrah
Fortified Zinfandel · Syrah
A concentrated 2024 fortified release made from separately tracked 2023 Zinfandel and Syrah lots. The recovered workbooks identify Mohr-Fry in Lodi and Beckstone in Livermore as the fruit sources; the judging sheets then show how their berry, chocolate, and spice character landed in the finished blend.
Wine highlights
01 / Progress
The wine,
step by step.
- SourceTwo vineyards
Mohr-Fry Zinfandel and Beckstone Syrah
The component records identify Lodi Zinfandel and Livermore Syrah harvested on the same date and managed as separate small lots.
- FortificationTwo components
Separate base wines become one program
The Zinfandel and Syrah were tracked independently through fermentation and fortification work before the finished competition blend was assembled.
- EvaluationWell received
Rich fruit and chocolate land well
Judges found berry, blackberry, licorice, chocolate, and spice, with good body and generally balanced sweetness.
- RefinementBench trial
A touch dry for the category
One judge considered the wine slightly too dry, suggesting that a small residual-sweetness trial could be useful before a future competition.
02 / Tasting record · California State Fair judging
“Rich berry fruit and chocolate held in balance.”
The fortified Zinfandel–Syrah earned positive comments for fruit intensity, body, complexity, and varietal character.
Wine profile
- Fruit
- Berry · blackberry
- Depth
- Licorice · chocolate · kitchen spice
- Sweetness
- Balanced · one judge found it dry
03 / Notes
What stays
in the record.
What worked
The judging notes repeatedly returned to berry fruit, blackberry, licorice, chocolate, and spice. More importantly, the fortified style was seen as balanced rather than merely sweet or powerful.
What the recovered workbooks add
The source is no longer generic. The component records identify Mohr-Fry Zinfandel from Lodi and Beckstone Syrah from Livermore, both tied to 2023 fruit and later handled in the 2024 fortified-wine program.
What remains unknown
The final Zinfandel-to-Syrah percentage, fortifying spirit, finished alcohol, residual sweetness, and exact bottling date are still unconfirmed. Those values remain private and unguessed until the final cellar record is located.