2018 Fossil Canyon Lodi, California 'Old Vines' Zinfandel

Few varieties and appellations match up as well as Zinfandel does to Lodi, which is situated inland from San Francisco atop California’s great Central Valley. And the most rich, intense and multi-dimensional Zins tend to be crafted from fruit grown on “Old Vines” — vines that are at least 50 years old.

Lodi has plenty of those, some even decades more mature. With each passing year, the vine vigor tends to gradually decrease, concentrating flavors into fewer clusters of grapes. Those clusters are coveted by vintners, who know they have an opportunity to produce memorable wines from them.

Wines like the 2018 Fossil Canyon “Old Vines” Zinfandel, which one of our tasting panel members described as “super jammy, just like a harvest pie.” Another noted: “This is a full-bodied bomb and delicious.” It’s a wine that demonstrates what a special growing region Lodi is, and how awe-inspiring “Old Vine” Zin can be.

Earthy Stone-Fruit Balanced Pepper