WARNING: Don’t try this at home. On a recent liquor store run we decided to make a friendly wager to test consumer psychology. We’d break our own rules and select four sub-$15 wines purely based on how attracted we were to the labels. We set the over-under at 2.
The under held. Indeed, this is not the way to buy wine! Generously, I can say two were less than noteworthy, one was better dumped down the drain- though there was one that we actually thoroughly enjoyed. The packaging of the Old Vine Red from Marietta Vineyards comes across as masculine, modern, and confident, and the blurb on the back is an apt description of what you will find inside – an excellent example of a California table wine.
Think of this wine as the ultimate blend. OVR combines vintages, grape varietals, and uses both oak and stainless tanks for aging. They’ve got the formula down for highlighting all the best parts, and the result is a fruit-driven, well-structured red with soft tannins. Black pepper, licorice, and dark fruit carry it through a long finish. Comprised primarily of food-friendly Zinfandel, savor this wine with a wide range of flavors, or enjoy it all on its own.
Pleasant companion for: Aged cheeses and charcuterie, smoked fish, stewed and grilled poultry, red meat, hearty vegetables, spiced and spicy food.
Try with our Smoked Mackerel Toasts with Dill and Crème Fraiche.
750ml – $14.99 @ Utah DABC Stores
Producer……..Marietta Vineyards
Vintage………..Non Vintage: 2014-16
Region…………Sonoma County, California
Grapes………..Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Franc
ABV…………….13.5%
Type……………Red
