Tag Archives: Old vine Zinfandel

F. Stephen Millier Black Label Old Vines Zinfandel 2019, Lodi, California

21 Monday Sep 2020

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I have had a few wines from Lodi recently and am becoming a big fan.  Zinfandel is one of their signature grapes so this wine is exciting to me.

As I look at it in the glass it’s a nice shade of opaque purple.  I can also smell the waft of fruit from a foot away, always a good sign.  The nose is very fruit forward with tons of black berry, dark plums and a cinnamon twist.  The palate is misleading- when you smell that much fruit you automatically expect a wine with a touch of sweetness, which I do not look forward to in reds.  This wine is not at all sweet- it is rich, concentrated with black fruit and very tasty.  There is a core of minerality on the mid palate that mixes it up with some oaky char and anise.  I usually expect pepper with this varietal but I’m not getting any.  The wine has a nice, balanced mouthfeel with very lithe tannins and supporting acidity.  The finish is a fruit salad of black cherry, blackcurrants and blackberry jam.  It is mouth filling and satisfying if you like a ton of flavor.  I’m enjoying it with some Spaghetti Arrabiata with garlic bread.  Kudos to the winemaker for this 90 point effort that I paid $13 for.  It gets 5 stars and will drink nicely till 2027.  Salut….

Mt. Luxxe Vineyards Zinfandel 2017, Lodi, California

09 Wednesday Sep 2020

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I don’t drink Zins very often, but when I find one I like- I remember it and revisit.  I was not a huge fan initially of the last Zin I drank, the Turley Zin turned out much better after a day or so.

This one shows semi opaque in the glass and has a lovely reddish hue to the purple color.  On the nose I get raspberries, red currants and cinnamon stick.  The palate is very rich with a nice thrust of raspberry coulis and mulling spices.  There’s a really nice set of tannins that caress the gums without stripping the enamel off my teeth alongside a juicy acidity that hits the mid palate.  The red fruit theme continues with some steeped rhubarb and spices.  This is not a jammy Zin, but is full bodied with rich flavors and a really nice, long finish.  The warmth I get on the backend is also very interesting.  Really tasty with a decent level of complexity and aging capacity make this a 91 point wine IMHO.  I paid a paltry $9.99 for it but it normally retails for $40.  4 stars with a drinking window till 2027.  I’m flash cooking some thin Ribeyes that will pair nicely.  Salut….

Scotto Family Old Vines Zinfandel Lodi Central Valley California 2012

05 Monday Dec 2016

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I picked this bottle up on my trip to the Wine Library in New Jersey, they were pushing it as a good Thanksgiving choice.  I had other plans for Turkey day but liked it enough to buy a bottle.  In the glass it shows decent purple hues, but is somewhat lighter looking.  On the nose- Christmas cake, cherries jubilee and spice box.  On the palate, a really smooth intro of black fruits, dark cherries and cedar shingle.  Very smooth indeed, with subtle tannins and a touch of acidity.  This wine is very easy to drink due to the gorgeous mouthfeel but beware, it only hits 13% alcohol and you might find yourself sipping all night!  As the wine hits the mid palate it shows off some typical Zin notes of plums and pepper.  The finish is decent and mid length with some tannins showing up right at the end along with some plum torte.  This wine does not need food, it flows ever so nicely but I can see why they recommended it to pair with Turkey.  It would also go beautifully with a grilled Pork Chop, bone in.  Given the choice I will pick old vine Zin every time, they are more refined, smoother and in my opinion easier to drink with lower alcohol.  This wine is a great example.   I am going with 91 points and 5 stars for a delicious effort that costs $13, what a bargain!  I’m ordering more for sure.  Salut….

scotty family cellars old vine zinfandel

Armida Winery Maple Vineyards Zinfandel 2012

27 Sunday Jul 2014

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I am becoming a fan of Armida’s wines.  I wrote about their other offerings previously with the Poizin and my first experience with the Maple Creek Zin 2009.  The style is not overly jammy, nor heavy but relies on old vines for complexity and depth.  On pouring this rather young wine I noted that it was dark purple in hue with hints of cloves intertwined with plums on the nose.  Easy drinking yet powerful with a lithe tannic backbone and entrenched acidity.  The 14.9 % alcohol was well hidden but could sneak up on the unsuspecting.  As the wine evolved we got a dark core of black fruits with plums on the secondary and lithe hints of chocolate and bramble bush.  A nice depth of different nuances made this a very good wine indeed.  I believe it can be found for about $35 and I’m going with 91 points, making this a solid 3 star effort in my book.  We drank it before a dinner of fresh caught Salmon, but I would go with any red meats, perhaps some olives and tapenade would suffice.  Salut….

armida zinfandel

Ravens Wood Old Vine Zinfandel 2011

14 Monday Oct 2013

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The 2010 Ravens Wood Zinfandel was my go-to wine when in a pinch.   The 2011 version leaves me bewildered.  Hollow, lacking fruit and just average.  What little fruitiness I got was predominantly plum, with some cherry mixed it.  There was a certain spice that overcame the fruit.  Pepper and oak were evident and the lack of tannins apparent.  I must have missed something here because this winery is consistent.  Perhaps I had an off bottle.  For around $9 it is usually a great QPR wine that works well for parties, BBQ’s and even the odd poker game.  I did enjoy it somewhat, but was disappointed at the difference between vintages.  I am reserving judgement on this one for a second tasting.

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Van Ruiten Old Vines Zinfandel 2010

27 Monday May 2013

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Wow.  What a beautiful Zinfandel.  This wine was absolutely delicious.  Plums and blueberry galore, on the nose, the palate, the finish.  Not jammy, like many over-the-top Zins, but smooth, mellow and refined.  I can see a lot of care has been put into crafting this wine.  The winemaker has worked the old vine grapes into a powerful wine, yet hiding the massive 14.5% alcohol behind a balanced canvas of sweet tannins and bright acidity.  Very complex once you start to delve into it, the wine offered up some nuances that will no doubt further evolve when the wine is cellared.  I imagine it will develop over the next 6 years and drink beautifully until 2020 at the least.  For sure a 5 star wine and 91 points in my opinion.  If you can find a bottle of this, snag it…  Well worth the effort.

PS. This wine was a gift from a friend, I am duly grateful that he was able to share this spectacular bottle.

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Three Wine Company Zinfandel 2008

19 Thursday Jul 2012

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Before I taste this wine, I must say I love the label. It is the third wine in my Cali Kings flight. I already know it’s a “14.9%” wine. We all know what that means…

Somewhat muted on the nose- because it’s holding out for your palate. Whoosh, here it comes: jammy berry, Zin pepper, spice and a mouth puckering brace of tannins- all at once. Nice party trick folks, fool me with the fake to the nose and then a full wallop to the mouth. Good job hiding the alcohol though. Generally a really nice old vine Zinfandel that has more structure than most. I am dying to know how this is going to evolve as I foresee a long life ahead- perhaps 12 years??
I’m starting to make out some cherry, and a floral finish. Perhaps a trait of the vine age? I’m not sure how available this wine is, but I really encourage you to look for it. Its not typical Zin, but has certain good qualities of Zin that I like. I reckon 5 stars, and 90 points. A well made Zin.

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Ravenswood Zinfandel Old Vines ’10

25 Saturday Feb 2012

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Not being a huge fan of Zinfandel, I was pleasantly surprised with this one.  Normally, Zins come in at a whoppingly high alcohol content and can be quite jammy.  Registering at 13.5%, this “Old-Vines” Zin was very smooth and delectable.  Caressing tannins and a good mouthfeel from such a young wine show promise.  The nose was elegant, the alcohol was not noticeable and the balance was just right.  I have tasted this wine twice in the last week and consider it a great effort, whether you like Zins or are impartial like me.  I would easily drink it alone, or with any type of meat dish.  Dark fruit and a touch of oak make it enticing and different. Seriously, a 5 star effort and possibly 89 points.  An easy choice when you need a flexible wine, and probably very easy to find.  Did I mention the price?  A terrific QPR (Quality Price Ratio) at under $15 per bottle….

ravenswood old vine zinravenswood old vine zinfandel 2010