4FEB09 Marietta Cellars “OVR Lot 74“ ZINFANDEL BLEND, California NV (F, O)
4 and 6 bottle levels $20 (member price $17)
Zinfandel (majority), Syrah, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Grenache, Barbera 13.5% ABV
Robert Parker said of Marietta Cellars: “If readers have not learned the formula, here it is: Marietta Cellars = high quality, modest prices, and considerable pleasure!” We’ve featured their wines on and off our shelves for years. This is the wine that started it all, their Old Vine Red, a multi-vintage wine now in its 74th edition. Most of the fruit is from their home vineyards in Mendocino and Sonoma, but the California appellation allows them to purchase fruit from elsewhere. 60% aged in neutral French oak, 40% in stainless steel. It’s multi-vintage, but rumor has it that this edition is primarily 2022 and 2023. There’s plenty of jammy blackberry, blueberry and black raspberry, but the underlying acidity keeps it refreshing.
Food Pairing Suggestions:
Savor this lush blend with bison burgers stuffed with blue cheese and topped with smoky bacon and garlic aioli; beef stroganoff over egg noodles; pulled pork BBQ with Alabama white sauce and four cheese macaroni; skillet pork chops with blue cheese sauce; meat lover’s pizza; lamb lollipops with mint pesto; grilled wild boar sausage over white Cheddar polenta; BBQ brisket served with thin cut seasoned fries; spicy Thai curry pulled pork topped with candied jalapeño; braised beef short ribs with roasted root vegetables; spaghetti bolognese; and duck confit over mesclun salad. This rich blend is equally delicious with goat Gouda, dry Sonoma Jack or slightly sweet Italian Piave.