2017 Alegria Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel - Sidebar Cellars

Crunchy boysenberry, cracked peppercorn, sour red cherry. Santa Rosa plum, manzanita bark, juicy prickly pear. A wild and energetic burst of mulberry, huckleberry, and tart pomegranate highlights an impressively lively and layered fruit core intricately complicated by dried pine needle, paprika, and pipe tobacco. Notes of bougainvillea, cedar, and acacia advance themes of natural and woody complexity while cayenne and white pepper expose playfully spicy lift. Intriguing impressions of sea salt, sandy loam, and ocean brine reveal distinctly saline marine terroir to bookend the authentic and expressive attack. Surprisingly fresh, vibrant, and high toned on the palate despite excellent depth and concentration; exhibiting captivating aromatics rife with delightful feral charm. Medium plus in body and well balanced with elevated levels of both tannin and acidity. This 2017 Alegria Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel by Sidebar Cellars is an outstandingly captivating, bright, and historic red from Sonoma's Russian River Valley.

Although most of the ancient Zinfandel vineyards that once littered the Russian River Valley have been ripped out and replanted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, a handful of these heritage sites still exist and are producing outstanding wine to this day. This bottling, crafted by Dave Ramey's Sidebar Cellars using a Zinfandel-led old vine field blend sourced from the Alegria Vineyard, provides a characterful glimpse into the beginnings of the RRV's storied viticultural history. This unique cool climate field blend contains at least 15 different grape varieties and pulses with incredible freshness, energy, and verve. Its fruit profile nobly eschews any sweetness or jammy character; instead focusing on capturing deliciously spicy, wild, and natural charm. This is a terrific wine and a wonderful time capsule into California's agricultural past.