2008 Bucklin "Old Hill Ranch" Sonoma Valley Zinfandel

Combine an old mixed black vineyard with a talented, passionate winemaker and you have a combination that has to succeed. The wine has been outstanding for several vintages but the 2008 has hit the nail right on the head. Old Hill ranch is a a vineyard that is over 100 years old, Sonoma's oldest vineyard. It is a dry farmed, organic vineyard and a true field blend. The vineyard has two dozen grape varieties — principally Zinfandel, but also Grenache, Alicante Bouchet, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, Syrah, Carignane, and Tempranillo, to name a few. All are blended together in this wine. This wine has balance and structure with enormous power. Bright plum fruit with hints of red fruits, licorice, chocolate, pepper with a lovely minerality running through it. If you love Zinfandel, this is perfect. If your not a big fan of Zinfandel, this could be the wine to change your mind. Drink now or 2-3 years in the cellar.

I’ve told people numerous times that the “Old Hill Ranch” vineyard has to be one of the most interesting vineyards in all of the United States. First of all it is the oldest vineyard site in Sonoma County, originally planted in 1851, which is saying something given the high proportion of “old vine” vineyards in the area. Secondly is it dry-farmed and certified organic. But the really interesting thing about this vineyard is its actual make up having 26 distinct varieties planted, both white and red and even some of even more elusive red fleshed grape varietals. This wealth of raw material has always served Will Bucklin, the owner of “Old Hill Ranch” and vintner of Bucklin wines exceptionally well as it had done with others before him like Joel Peterson at Ravenswood. This wine is a true testament to what a vineyard can do what it can produce and what it can become when tended with love and listened to. The word “terroir” gets bounded around a lot in my business but I can think of very few, if any wines, coming out of the United States currently that more purely express that idea than this wine. I also believe this to be one of the best Zinfandel based wines in the market today with only the Ridge Geyserville and Lytton Springs bottling being as consistently good on a yearly basis. Deeply spiced, full of briary goodness and bursting with earth laden fruity flavors this is sure to please those on both sides of the Zinfandel fence. This wine is never sweet or jammy but it sure has plenty of heft and an incredible amount of richness. In my book this is a must try wine.

Fruit forward but not "jammy". Nice hint of oak, but just a hint.