Wild blackberry, pepper shaker, bruised strawberry. Dried cranberry, parched earth, dark cherry. Wilted violet and desert flora, thorny bramble and beached driftwood. Underripe plum and blueberry dipped in hoisin and crushed rock. Layered old vine concentration seasoned with shaved cedar and crushed clove. This 2015 Old Vine Zinfandel by Seghesio Family Vineyards is all-American muscle on a blue collar budget.

Zinfandel might provide the best all around quality-to-price ratio of any wine produced in the USA. Even the finest examples of this varietal rarely get anywhere near a triple digit price tag. This bottling, crafted by Seghesio from vineyards in the Dry Creek and Alexander Valley appellations of Sonoma County, utilizes fruit from vines with an average age of 70 years old. This stuff oozes energy & personality along with serious structure & composure. It's built like an American muscle car from the early 1970's - it might not cost the most or always be the fastest around the track but it will surely get your heart racing when you slam that throttle. The fact that you can grab a bottle of this stuff for just over $30 is downright criminal. If you're a fan of good old fashion well-built American Zin then this stuff will bring a big cheesy grin to your face.