89% Zinfandel with the remaining 11% being a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Mourvedre, Carignane, Syrah and Petite Sirah from Sonoma County, California.
SRP of $24 and available for $15.99 at Costco. Sample submitted for review.
From the bottle:
"This wine was produced from hand-picked grapes grown on some of the finest "old vines" Zinfandel vineyards in Sonoma County. Aged for 15 months in American oak barrels, this deeply colored, rich red wine displays the unique character of "old world style" Zinfandel.
15.5% Alcohol"
The grapes for today's wine come from the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley and Dry Creek Valley, all from vines that are 55 to 100 years old. We've talked about old vines in the past, and how there really is no standard for what constitutes old, but in general as vines age they produce fewer, but more flavorful grapes. This is the perfect for the big and rich, high alcohol style that is quite popular for Zinfandel right now, and today's wine does that style proud.
The 2008 St. Francis Old Vine Zinfandel begins with really pleasant aromas of blackberry, plum, black pepper and a little caramel. The wine tastes smooth and rich with lots of blackberry and plum flavors just like the nose. This is definitely a big and fruity wine, but it is also backed up with lots of other savory notes like caramel and molasses plus a little pepper and spice. And while it may not be super complex, it certainly makes a rich and savory statement that you can't help but enjoy. It ends with more rich fruit and vanilla notes that last for a long time. We found it to be just as good on day 2.
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Overall Rating: 7.3
Find out more about my rating system and check out the Wine Ranking to find all my reviews! You can sort by type of wine, cost, rating, etc. in the interactive database.
