Winery Maintains Steadfast Commitment to Local Heritage Variety with Latest Zinfandel Releases
October 2, 2025 (Paso Robles, CA) — While Zinfandel may today represent just eight percent of the total grape acreage in Paso Robles, it remains front and center at Linne Calodo Winery, where they are now marking their second harvest as the owners of the old-vine Cherry Vineyard in the Willow Creek District.
“We are determined to keep Paso Robles Zinfandel in the conversation as a local heritage variety that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best coming from our region,” said Owner-Winemaker Matt Trevisan, who has been making Zinfandel-driven blends for more than 25 years. “It’s not just a matter of sentimentality—we believe in the grape and remain committed to showing what is possible from Paso Robles Zinfandel.”
The latest Zinfandel releases at Linne Calodo include the 2023 Problem Child ($95; 98 Points from Jeb Dunnuck) and 2023 Cherry Red ($95). During the current 2025 harvest, the winery is picking Zinfandel fruit at Cherry Vineyard, Old Oak Vineyard and the Dusi family’s Paper Street Vineyard—all located in the westside Willow Creek District. Zinfandel has been grown in Paso Robles for nearly 150 years.
“Our Zinfandel wines have a quiet but dedicated following,” Trevisan said. “Zinfandel isn’t in favor with the hip crowd right now, so it’s more of a wine for those in the know. It’s timeless and trend-proof, and if you give it the right attention, it can produce an incredible ultra-premium wine.”
All in on Zin
Last year, Trevisan and his wife Maureen took ownership of Cherry Vineyard as the ultimate passion project, buying a 170-acre ranch in order to preserve a 2.5-acre Zinfandel vineyard that yields just a half-ton of fruit per acre. The Zinfandel in Linne Calodo’s signature Cherry Red blend famously comes from this namesake vineyard. The Zinfandel portion of Cherry Vineyard spans 2.3 acres that are interspersed with 0.2 acres of old-vine Chenin Blanc.
Trevisan has been making wine from Cherry Vineyard since the start of Linne Calodo in 1998. “Cherry Vineyard was my first love as a winemaker, and we now have the honor of preserving this site as part of the community and history of Paso Robles,” he said. “I am forever grateful to the Cherry family to entrusting us with their legacy vineyard.”
Trevisan has long preferred sourcing his Zinfandel from sites in the Willow Creek District. “I think the best expression of Paso Robles Zinfandel comes from this district,” Trevisan said. “The fruit has the bright, spicy character that you most associate with Zinfandel, but it’s also extra nuanced and expressive owing to the westside cooling effect and limestone soils.”
In keeping with Linne Calodo’s exclusive focus on blends, Trevisan enhances his Zinfandel wines with complements of other varieties such as Syrah and Mourvèdre. “I look for Syrah and Mourvèdre to bring balance and dimension to Zinfandel’s exuberant fruit character. Syrah adds mid-body, while Mourvèdre brings an earthy character that cuts against the fruitiness and cinches it all together.”
About Linne Calodo
Established in 1998 by Matt and Maureen Trevisan, Linne Calodo is a pioneering icon of Rhône-variety blends and Zinfandel-based wines from Paso Robles. The winery is named after the calcareous Linne Calodo soils found at the estate vineyard in the westside Willow Creek District. Winemaker Matt Trevisan subscribes to a “nature positive” farming ethos that emphasizes biodiversity, native lifeforms and species coexistence for the sake of creating responsibly grown, vineyard-centric wines. Visit the secluded Linne Calodo tasting room at the corner of Highway 46 West and Vineyard Drive, situated adjacent to the working winery and estate vineyard. See LinneCalodo.com.
