2022 Old Vine Zinfandel 90VM
Sonoma County, CA

$25.99 6+ (6saves2)
$27.99 reg
*mix and match OK

90 pts Vinous (Galloni)
The 2022 Zinfandel Old Vine is an absolute delight. Fresh, floral and fruity, the Old Vine is a terrific wine to drink now and over the next handful of years, while the fruit remains vibrant. Dollops of Carignan, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Cinsault and other varieties round out a blend crafted from a number of top sites in the Bedrock portfolio. The Old Vine Zinfandel is especially vibrant and refreshing this year. Best of all, it should be terrific value. - By Antonio Galloni on January 2024

Every vintage we get the fun challenge of putting together a wine that we feel really shows off what old vine Zinfandel can achieve in California by focusing on the strengths of the vintage. In the process, we endeavor to make something that is one of the better values in the wine world from truly old vines (average vine age is over 80). In 2022, one of the main challenges was how to balance the deep fruit weight, richness, and ripeness that some lots possessed due to a big heat wave in early September. Fortunately, we were well-equipped for this challenge given the diversity of sources we work with, along with having some other varieties that have traditionally been blended with Zinfandel for this very reason. This year’s rendition is 76% Zinfandel, 11% Carignan, 5% Petite Sirah, 4% Grenache and 3% Cinsault, with the remainder being assorted mixed varieties such as Mourvèdre, Negrette and more. Though a blend of over a dozen ranches, the majority comes from Teldeschi, Evanghelho, Katushas, Nervo, Sodini, Beeson, Bedrock, Old Hill, and Papera. We are extremely pleased with the resulting wine—one that shows off freshness, wonderful fruit tones, spice, and pepper laden perfume built around a core of flat-out delicious fruit character. This one should be a great crowd-pleaser.