Owner and winemaker Chris Bilbro initially founded Marietta Cellars in 1978 naming his winery after his aunt Marietta Pardin. Marietta Cellars is located just outside the little town of Geyserville in one of California's premier wine growing regions, Sonoma County. There they continue to hand make their wines.
Old Vine Red is a red wine field blend dominated by Zinfandel with a splash of lesser-known red grapes to give it some added character and depth. The term field blend comes from the days when vineyards were planted with a variety of grapes of unknown varietal for the purpose of making either a red or white wine not a specific type of wine. Each Old Vine Red is blended from scratch, recipe-less and Non-vintage. Non-vintage, meaning the blend includes grapes from harvests in different years. Since a field blend is about blending, vintage doesn’t really make much difference. The advantage of blending varietals and vintages is the potential for more consistent and complex wine. The winemaker relies on his palate and what he think tastes best, showing off a little of his personality at the same time, “walking the fine line between seriousness and fun”. The blends do change with each "lot" and the percentages are something of a secret. Old Vine Red is aged in French and American oak, and should drink well over the next few years.
Marietta wine is allocated on release due to demand and routinely sells out prior to the next relase. Lot 56 in October 2011.
Varietal: Zinfandel blend
Producer/Importer: Marietta Cellars
Region: California, Primarily Sonoma and Mendocino Counties
Vintage: Lot#56
Price: $9.97
Tasting notes:
Sight (Color/Clarity): Slightly opaque, ruby red-purple
Smell (bouquet, aroma): Jammy aroma of the zinfandel
Taste (acidity, balance, body): Moderately complex flavor including a little hint of sweet cherries, bold fruity jam, peppery spice and earthy herbal flavor. It is leggy, indicating high alcohol content. It is medium bodied and well balanced with a lengthy smooth finish.
Bottle presentation:
Winemakers Notes: “Old Vine Red is a proprietary red wine that is round, smooth, "Zinfandel-like," and noted for its balance, approachability, and consistency. It is primarily comprised of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane as well as smaller amounts of Cabernet and Syrah. Various Italian varietals round out the blend.”
Comparisons: Fruitier than the Rex Goliath Zinfandel
Overall rating (1-10): 8.5
Date consumed: November 9, 2011
Comments: 13.5% alc vol.
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