You walk into the wine shoppe. It's a random occasion on a Saturday afternoon and someone asks, "Are you here for the wine tasting?" You had forgotten that Total Wines hosts a formidable tasting of various well-chosen wines from their vast inventory every Friday and Saturday evening. You saunter up to the counter and a light clicks on when your eyes pass across the labels. You land on a silver label with embossed "Oak Ridge Lodi "Ancient Vines" Zinfandel." Curiosity peaks because you recognize the name and the old-vines concept is intriquing. Clinton approaches the bottle and pours a taste for the patrons.
Balance of fruit and tannin is often considered the monacre of quality in wine. Seeking that balance, the winemakers at Oak Ridge have crafted this great big red wine exclusively of Zinfandel grapes borne of vines that date back to the mid-1800's California migration. It comes on with big fruit and finishes dry after a long arc in the profile, but you exhale over the finish and it brings on a new sensation of fruit and pepper on the palate. You will remember this trait in this wine, so much as to tell your friends about this amazing experience. You ask the way to the shelf where you may purchase some Zin, and you leave with two bottles, or more at $11.99 for the value.
The first bottle you drink the night you get it home. The second... you might drink after the first one is cached, but you could save it and serve this wine with your next gourmet pizza night, with tomatoes, spinach and goat cheese. Or Steak Au Poive, either way this wine will show off over dinner.
You tasted other wines that day, they were good, but you experienced this Ancient Vines Zinfandel. Oak Ridge Lodi "Ancient Vines" Zinfandel is available by the bottle or case at Total Wines on Oyster Point Road in Newport News, but also in their other 60 stores nationwide. See totalwine.com for locations nearest you.
Contact Rick Bailey at nnwineexaminer@gmail.com or on Facebook "Wine Examiner".
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