July 2, 2007
Campus Oaks Old Vine Zinfandel
Campus Oaks Old Vine Zinfandel, 2004, Lodi, CA
Since returning from France, I have decided to focus my wine tasting on American wines and varietals. My reasoning is that, with such a vast amount to learn about wine, it seems like a more manageable task to focus on a single country’s regions and varietals than to try to learn everything about everything. And of course, when labels are printed in English, it makes the wine much more accessible. Plus, I admit to a little flag waving here — American vines are just as good as any other country’s vines — and California is now considered one of the top wine regions in the world. And it always helps that good California wine can be bought at a better price than some fancy French import.
With that all said, this week I dove into an American classic, an “old vine” zinfandel. Zinfandel was long considered “America’s Wine,” though recent dna testing — yes, DNA testing — place the origins of the grape in Croatia. It is one of California’s oldest and most successful varieties, with the earliest Zinfandel vineyards dating back to the 1830s. In particular, “old vine” zinfandel refers to grapes harvested from prized “old” vines — usually 80 years or older — that produce fewer grapes but with a more concentrated flavor.
I found my first red zinfandel to be a bit of an enigma. It was a dark, full bodied red wine bursting with berry flavors, and had a strong, spicy finish. Nothing about this wine was subtle, and I found it to be both confusing and intriguing. One day I felt like the flavors were conflicted, the next day it seemed to hit the right notes. Perhaps it had to do with the food I ate with it or the temperature it was served at. Regardless, one thing this wine was certainly not was forgettable.