Vineyard 1869, America's Oldest Zinfandel

90 Points - Wine Enthusiast

Vineyard Vintage Notes:
Produced from the Harvey Vineyard, America’s oldest Zinfandel Vineyard documented as existing in 1869. "Vineyard 1869" was planted in the days when horses were used for cultivation.  This ancient vineyard is non-irrigated, stand alone head pruned vines that fully express the Amador Zinfandel terroir.  This is the taste of history for 139 years these ancient vines have plunged their roots through twenty-five feet of multiple soil types in search of water. The result is an elegant, complex, first-growth wine. Vineyard 1869's existence was noted in a deed from an 1869 U.S. Geological Survey, mak-ing it America's oldest documented Zinfandel vineyard. The immigrants who planted these vines chose them from hardy stock. In the 1890's the vines survived the nearly total destruction of California's vineyards by phylloxera. Due to moon-lit nights of unregulated distillation, Vineyard 1869 also survived Prohibition. It wasn't until 1984 when the vineyard was purchased by Scott Harvey, a German trained, California winemaker, that the vines were lovingly coaxed back into producing small yields of high quality, first growth Zinfandel. It is now coveted for producing California's premier Old Vine Zinfandel.

Tasting Notes:
Briary varietal Zinfandel. Deep raspberry, allspice, cloves and cinnamon, balanced with a fleshy center and hints of coffee, leather and bright currants. Old Vine complexity and first growth quality.

Vineyard Source: 139 year old vines known as "Vineyard 1869"
Vintage: 2007
Appellation: Amador County
pH: 3.5
Dry Cooperage: 24 months French Oak
Release Date: 12-1-2009
Cases Produced: 663

Tasting Notes  PDF

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