The Old Vine Zinfandel – vines planted in 1896, abandoned for 20 years when we purchased this property where we live some 15 years ago We only make a handful of barrels of the Zinfandel each vintage, most years only enough bottles for our wine club members…it’s one of my favorite parts, it’s like a secret you share with a good friend. The very cool climate of our vineyard and the 100+-year-old vines create a sensory experience unlike other Zinfandels. The old vines add an amazing character, a brambly complex array of flavors that keep unfolding as the meal and the evening go on…both bright red fruits like raspberry and cherry giving way to the spicy dark fruits like blackberries and plums.

In the previous vintage we did give a small amount of this wine to our friends at Zazu Restaurant, a couple that have been featured on the cover of Wine Spectator; I stopped by the restaurant recently to do a tasting with the wait staff so they would all be familiar with the wine, and Duskie, the Chef-owner, was describing why she had been so persistent about convincing me to give them some of that Zinfandel release and I want to borrow her words because they very flattering and sums up this wine pretty well…she said “do not think of this wine like you think of most California Zinfandel…don’t get me wrong California Zin is a very tasty beverage, lush and yummy, and that wine is all that – but think of this also like we present our best Italian wines, to be perfect compliments to food – it has a refinement like something from Tuscany or Piedmont – a sophistication to go with the hedonism – I wanted it because it will make my food shine, and you should recommend it to your best customers and it will make you shine!”…after an introduction like that my part was easy just pouring a glass for everyone and describing the century-old history and special care we give this little piece of our world.