Heritage, hospitality, and zinfandel—Napa as it was.
NAPA, Calif., July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The 2023 vintage marks the 25th legal bottling of Black Chicken, the flagship Zinfandel from Robert Biale Vineyards and a tribute to the family's commitment to preserving Napa Valley's heritage vineyards. What began as a code word for bootleg wine over a party line phone in the 1940s has become one of Napa's most beloved and recognizable Zinfandels. It's been a remarkable journey for a wine that started underground, literally, and Robert Biale Vineyards is proud to celebrate its evolution from homemade jug to hallmark bottling.
Long before Napa Valley was known for polished tasting rooms and luxury wines, it was a patchwork of hardworking immigrant families, dirt roads, and backyard vineyards. In 1943, a 14-year-old Aldo Biale began secretly making jugs of his family's homemade Zinfandel, using the code name "Black Chicken" to keep nosy neighbors, and authorities, off his trail. The wine was bold, the story was real, and over time, the legend grew. Today, Black Chicken is produced legally (they promise), but it still carries the spirit of Aldo's resilience and the joy of sharing good wine with a close-knit community.
Though much has changed in Napa Valley, Robert Biale Vineyards has held steady in their approach. The small, hands-on team continues to farm old vines, stay rooted in tradition, and produce wines that reflect the land's history and character. Black Chicken remains a celebration of Zinfandel done the old-school way: honest, vibrant, and unmistakably Napa—not the polished version most people envision, but the one that came before.
Robert Biale Vineyards often says they make wine the way Napa used to—before the limos, before the real estate headlines, and before Zinfandel was nearly forgotten. Black Chicken is their way of keeping that memory, and that flavor, alive. Robert Biale Vineyards has long shared that their mission is to preserve and protect Zinfandel–perhaps they're also preserving Napa, as it was.
About Robert Biale Vineyards
Robert Biale Vineyards is a revered standard for heritage vineyard Zinfandel and Petite Sirah in Napa Valley. The story began in the 1940s, when 14-year-old Aldo Biale used the code words "Black Chicken" to discreetly sell his family's bootleg wine. Since 1991, that legacy has been carried forward by his son, Bob Biale, through small-lot, vineyard-designated wines crafted from historic old vines—some dating back to the 1880s. With a deep commitment to sustainable farming, expressive terroir, and superb elegance, the winery produces a portfolio of 20 wines, including its flagship Black Chicken Zinfandel. The winery and tasting room are located at 4038 Big Ranch Road in Napa. For more information, visit www.biale.com or call 707.257.7555.
Media Contact
Shannon Prutch, Robert Biale Vineyards, 1 707-257-7555 230, [email protected], https://www.biale.com/
Melissa Vogt, Magnum Media, [email protected], www.magnummedia.co
SOURCE Robert Biale Vineyards
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