Old Vine Better Wine

Happy Wine Down Wednesday Winos!

Previously, I have been giving you my first reaction of trying a wine I have never tasted before. Unfortunately, that left me bringing you some lesser inspirational wine. This week I will be re-enjoying a wine I tasted earlier this week. I am very excited about it. Tonight I'm bringing you Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel Vintage 2013. This is from Lodi, CA and the vines are between 35 and 80 years old. I bought this at Vons for $7.99.

About Zinfandel:
Lodi is proudly known for having the finest Zinfandel in the state of California. The term "Old Vine" is not regulated so it is important to know when picking out your win precisely how old the vines really are. After much grooming and pruning for 30 years, the vine becomes more consistent and starts to produce less fruit. Between 75-100 years is when a vine should truly be called an "Old Vine." During the growing boom of Chardonnay and Merlot  in the 1970s-80s, White Zinfandel saved the Zinfandel vines from being burned down. Once red Zin became more popular again the vines were already older.

Gnarly Head:
This is a wine that both my fiancé and I really enjoy. By looking at it, it is a medium bodied. A swirl and sniff test opens up the aromas of berries, spice, plum, and vanilla playing peek-a-boo. A taste test reveals tannins all the way thru the tongue, lots of pepper, it's complex with many flavor swimming on the tongue. This would pair very well with a nice steak, smoked BBQ, Italian sausage, duck, Asiago cheese, blue cheese, and pepper jack cheese.

Atmosphere:
I recommend drinking this as an outdoor BBQ wine. Lots of friends around, music playing, and with 14.5% alcohol you'll be feeling nice and toasty.

Below is the link to Total Wine and More to buy the Gnarly Head Old Vine.

http://www.totalwine.com/eng/product/gnarly-head-old-vine-zinfandel/5068750

Cheers!