Behind the Cork™ - Secastilla Granacha

2014 Secastilla Granacha ($39.99)

The vineyards in the Secastilla Valley lie in the far north-eastern part of Spain, near the border with France. This region provides a Mediterranean micro-climate for growing grapes.

Secastilla is a hidden valley which boasts hundred-year-old Garnacha vines. The name of the valley, Secastilla, refers to the seven castles (Septum Castella) which overlook the valley.

This Secastilla 100% Granacha is produced from very old Granacha vines on a stony hillside more than 2300 feet above sea level.

This Secastilla Granacha’s production included pre-fermentation maceration, lasting three day, then alcoholic fermentation was done slowly and then malolactic fermentation began spontaneously as soon as the wine was run off from the tanks. After another 10 days it was racked off again into new French oak barrels where it spent another 10 months.

This Granacha is ruby red in color with the distinct aroma of cherries. On the palette it is very delicate, low in tannin, some minerality and has nice acidity on the finish.

This Granacha, imported by González Byass USA was a real treat. It is a limited production wine but well worth looking for. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster for González Byass

Behind the Cork™ - Artezin Old Vine Zinfandel

2017 Artezin Old Vine Zinfandel ($16)

This handcrafted Old Vine Zinfandel from winemaker Randle Johnson comes from northern California’s Mendocino County.

Johnson has been the man behind Artezin’s wines since their inception in 2002. The vision behind Artezin is to honor the art of crafting Zinfandel from old vine plantings and to work with family owned, sustainable farms throughout Mendocino and Sonoma Counties.

This Zinfandel is blended with 15% Petite Sirah to yield a wine with nice fruit and subtle pepper notes. It is 100% barrel aged in one to two year old French oak. This results in soft tannin, and an easy finish.

The Hess Family Wine Estates portfolio is comprised of The Hess Collection, Hess Select, Artezin, Lion’s Head Collection all of which are from California as well as Colomé and Amalaya from Argentina.

This Artezin Old Vine Zinfandel fits right in with the Behind the Cork™ featured wines that are affordable and attainable. Look for this this one in your favorite wine shop and enjoy! Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Donna White Communications

Old Vine Zinfandel - Is it Better?

Often, you'll see the words "Old Vine" on the label of a Zinfandel. But what does it really mean and does it equate with a better wine?

First, you need to realize that "Old Vine" is not a regulated term.  It can appear on any bottle of wine. Most in the wine industry consider 50 years and over to be worthy of the title.  And, in many cases, these old vines are more toward 100 years of age.  So, let's assume that wineries are using the 50+ definition for their old vine Zinfandel. The question remains - Is it a marketing gimmick or does the fruit from these old vines really result in a better wine?

Let's take a quick look at the life of a grape vine. When first planted, it may produce fruit in the first year or two, but these fruit-baring vines are often pruned before the grapes ripen. Typically, after about five years a vine is capable of producing a harvest-able annual crop. The vines really hit their stride in their teens and twenties, but their decline begins after that. At age 50, the vines are really in their fading years but are now worthy of being called "Old Vine."

Their deep roots that grow to a depth of approximately 25 feet are able to pull moisture and nutrition from the ground in the driest years and not create bloated fruit in wet years.

But, in their golden years, the vines are producing fewer and smaller grapes. This is where the difference can be.  The juice of these smaller grapes tends to be more concentrated in flavor. And, after pressing, the concentrated juice is less affected by the smaller amount of skin in the mixture, leading to lower tannin and a smoother wine.

So, yes, an old vine Zinfandel can be better. Or the vines can be badly in decline and in need of being dug up. But with good land, weather and proper farming an old Zinfandel vine can produce some great wines.

Given the choice on the store shelf, or on the wine list, I'd say go with the old vine. Cheers!