Old Vines Tell the Best Stories

When drinking certain varietals of wine, the words “old vine” or “ancient vine” begin appearing on the various labels, particularly when the grape in question is zinfandel.  While looking at a bottle of Atteca Old Vines 2007, which is actually made from Garnacha grapes, the label defends their use of “old vine” by stating that their vineyards “were planted in the last decades of the nineteenth and the first decade of the twentieth centuries.” Similarly, a bottle of Cline’s Ancient Vines Zinfandel confirms its identity as being from “80 to 100-year old vines in Oakley, California.” This bottle of Cline is a staple in my wine rack. 

It was curious to learn, however, that the title “old vine,” or otherwise, is not a regulated category.  It sometimes varies from region to region, and it is reportedly misused in some cases.  Of course, this is because the term denotes a supposedly better wine.  And, as is the case in the Cline family of wines, one will see an increase in price from $10 to about $16 when selecting a bottle of Ancient Vines Zinfandel over their regular zinfandel. 

This typical increase reflects the smaller yields from the older vines, and hopefully a higher quality wine.  It is also important to note that in addition to the lower yields improving the quality of grape, the wine greatly benefits from the deep and complex root system. A well-established root system brings in the various nuances of the soil and influences the wine in subtle yet identifiable ways.

I recently picked up both of these bottles on sale for under $15.  They were very enjoyable, but of course were different from one another for obvious reasons.  The Atteca Old Vines felt a little denser than I am typically used to drinking.  It has a little weight to it, some drag. This Spanish wine is very deep in color, and not surprisingly, it has notable legs.  The flavors are rather fruity—blueberries perhaps—but it is not what I would consider a sweet wine.  That could be relative, however.  All around, I find this to be a very rich red that will be invited back sometime soon.

The Cline Ancient Vine Zinfandel 2006 comes from a great family of wines.  I tend to go between this one and their Ancient Vine Mourvèdre.  They are both very consistent bottles. The zinfandel takes advantage of my entire mouth.  The bright tones spread across my palate while the deeper tones swell the greater part of tongue.  There is a spice that even lingers on my lips and cheeks, but this is not the kind of spice that evolves into heartburn.  There is a very nice balance between the fruity and the oaky notes.

Overall, no matter how old they are, these turned out to be very enjoyable wines. The Atteca, I would like to maybe try again with a spicy, white-sauced pasta, whether it is a nice cheese ravioli or a linguini dish served with buttery tilapia.  The Cline is versatile, but the bottle itself suggests anything from New York steaks to the traditional turkey dinner.  As for me, well, I’ll leave you until next week, and in the meantime I’ll figure out what I am suppose to do with this open and nearly full bottle of one of my favorite reliable reds.  Cheers.