You know it’s a dark day in the “world of wine” when we here at Tannic Panic deem it “the right time” to write about Zinfandel. In spite of our “efforts” to impact “meaningful change” in the “court of public opinion,” it remains a wildly popular grape and a California “staple” that spans the whole spectrum of “quality” and price points. So here we are.
If you’ve ever been in a wine aisle basically anywhere in the US, you’ve probably seen bottles of Zin lining the shelves. It has a huge production volume in California (with 35,906 acres planted and 201,642 tons of the grape crushed in 2024) and a cult-like following that has kept demand levels relatively high. It’s worth noting that its popularity does seem to be declining, and that tonnage crushed is at the lowest it’s been since 1990. But to put in perspective the relevance of the popularity of this variety, it has contended with Cab Sauv in volume for years, and even surpassed it “here and there” (last in 2009 & 2008, and for 10 consecutive years from 1990-2000). It has since seen a healthy decline (thankfully) and hopefully will continue on that trajectory until that number reaches “0.”
BUT WE DIGRESS – if you find yourself looking upon those aforementioned grocery store shelves, you’re highly likely to see mostly relatively inexpensive, mass market bottles. And if you pull out your reading monocle and squint your beady little eyes at the labels, you’ll likely find that many of them have a fun little marketing buzzword on there: “OLD VINES.”
But before we get too deep into the only interesting thing you’ll “learn” in this post, let’s dive into the backstory!
HUMBLE ORIGINS
Long considered the “flagship” Californian wine grape, goodly Zinfandel actually traces its roots to the humble European nation of “Croatia,” where it is “known” by two beautiful aliases - “Crljenak Kaštelanski” or “Tribidrag” and is genetically identical to Italy’s Primitivo. The grape’s illustrious journey “here” began in the early 1800s on America’s East Coast where it was grown as a table grape (arguably the best use for it) before making its merry little way over to California and rapidly taking hold as a quintessential planting, in no small part thanks to the Gold Rush.
DID YOU KNOW… Like opium, Zinfandel exploded in popularity in California in the midst of the Gold Rush. This is because wire and “wood” were in short supply, making it much more difficult to cultivate vines that rely on trellising. Zinfandel flourishes when “head-pruned,” which basically means letting it grow like a stumpy little tree with no “friends.” MOVING ON!!!!
Zinfandel “survived” Prohibition largely thanks to special little rules that allowing for home winemaking. One of the great tragedies of living in today’s era is that we’ll never get to taste those first hand. It had ups and downs in the years that followed, but rosé (ha) from near obscurity thanks to an event we affectionately call “the big pink boom” as White Zinfandel became wildly popular among today’s youth in the 1970s. As a result, instead of tearing out many of the vines that had scraped through Prohibition unscathed, they were “serendipitously” preserved for “future generations” to “enjoy.”
THE OLD VINE “MYTH”
Let’s, for a moment, set aside the fact that there is no legally recognized or standardized definition of "old vines" in the United States, and that the term is often used inconsistently, sometimes as a marketing strategy rather than a guarantee of quality. Just what exactly do “old vines” have that “regular vines” don’t?
On a bottle of Zinfandel, “Old Vines” conjures a sense of “heritage” and “superior wine quality,” largely rooted (no pun intended) in the belief that older grapevines produce smaller yields with more concentrated flavors, resulting in better quality wines.
While this can be true under certain conditions (regions like Priorat have wines that are extremely characteristic and their concentration of flavor and complexity is highly dependent on the old vines that grow in the region) the reality for Zinfandel appears to be “more nuanced.” Recent empirical studies on Californian Zinfandel contradict the common assumption that old vines inherently produce lower yields. In fact, a recent study demonstrated that old vines (defined as those aged 40-60 years) produce greater fruit yields and more clusters per vine than younger vines (5-12 years) and have deeper roots, which may contribute to vine resilience and wine consistency over vintages - attributes that are more commonly ascribed to lower quality “mass-market” wines.
Regarding wine profiles, Zinfandel wines made from old vines did tend to show a broader array and intensity of complex aromas (according to a “trained sensory panel”), supporting some of the traditional qualitative arguments for old vine quality, but contradicting the idea that higher yields mean decreased concentration and complexity.
The profile of old vine Zin tended to be lower acid, more astringent, higher tannin, and higher alcohol. They showed more notes of raisins, red and black fruits, spices, orange peel. Young vine wines were described as having more “pomegranate,” “wet topsoil” and “chocolate” aromas. So, while old vines may show greater wine complexity on average, this cannot be explained by lower yields, and complexity alone doesn’t “maketh” the wine, “as they say.” In fact, those who prefer wines with a higher level of acidity, softer or less astringent tannins, and lower alcohol, may find themselves more “attracted” to younger vine Zin.
It is important to not conflate age with guaranteed quality. Although older vines have the potential to produce higher-quality wines due to better site adaptation and complexity, other factors such as climate, clone, vineyard management, and winemaking practices play equally critical roles. Young vineyards, when well managed, can also produce exceptional wines, and vines both young and old can produce plonk.
The term "old vine" should be seen more as a sign of heritage and potential rather than a categorical marker of “wine quality.” In fact, the term “old vines” on a cheap bottle of Zinfandel should be approached with extreme caution and skepticism - a lesson we just learned the hard way.
Our conclusions: This “concoction” is thin and cloying, yet somehow still manages to “sport” a bitter aftertaste (much like a medicinal cough syrup loaded to the gills with artificial flavors). This was a truly atrocious experience, it’s hard to imagine anyone enjoying this (and if you do, we’d love to “hear your story”). Our take? If you need a quick way to “make something come back out,” look no further! Cheaper than ipecac.
Let us begin by saying we are both huge fans of Kokomo winery, and if you ever get a chance, you should absolutely try their wines and visit their tasting room. Our conclusions on this wine: while it shows rich, concentrated fruit and is technically sound, in our view, it lacks distinction and enough structure or complexity to warrant a revisit, especially at the price of $44 (less for us as members). It's overly ripe and hot, with bold oak, limited nuance, and insufficient structure. TLDR; try their Cab.
Zach’s Notes: Profile: Blackberry jam, black cherry, raspberry, strawberry, licorice, cotton candy, clove, crushed rock, black pepper Palate: Dry, medium+ acid, medium tannin, long finish Score breakdown: Balance 34 / Aroma/Flavor 16 / Concentration 14 / Length 14 / Complexity 7 = 85 points (Z)
DID YOU KNOW… Zinfandel is infamous for its challenging ripening patterns. Within a single cluster, it's common to find a combination of underripe green grapes, less mature red grapes, fully ripe dark grapes, and even shriveled raisin-like berries (LIKE ME!)
Well, I think we’ve all “learned something” today. No go out there, and buy yourself a nice bottle of Chianti (preferably with fava beans).
If there is one grape that has given me trouble over the years, it's Zinfandel. Prone to bunch rot, acid problems, over and under ripe on the same cluster, no color, and my favorite, stuck fermentations. All that said, I like Zinfandel.
"used wetsuit. One of the most evocative wine descriptors ever.
If there is one grape that has given me trouble over the years, it's Zinfandel. Prone to bunch rot, acid problems, over and under ripe on the same cluster, no color, and my favorite, stuck fermentations. All that said, I like Zinfandel.