By the sandy shores of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta, the agricultural town of Lodi is home to a lot of old Zinfandel vines. It's considered a warm region, but its location, directly in line with the Golden Gate, brings daily afternoon breezes that soften the summer temperatures. Combine this with ancient vines in alluvial soil where roots grow very deep, and you've got a formula for ripe, lush Zin that's also concentrated and intense. Soft, round, spicy and jammy with voluptuous overton...

Medium red. Intense spice and mineral notes accent bright red and dark berry aromas, along with an exotic hint of blood orange. Focused and lively, with fresh red berry flavors that deepen and sweeten with air. Takes a darker, almost candied cherry turn on the finish, which picks up an intriguing spice note. Peterson notes that 2005 was a great vintage for Lodi and that the vines here range from 50 to 105 years old, with an average age of about 88 years.

As befits its comparatively warm provenance, this full and fleshy wine steers to ripeness a bit more than its does to incisive fruit. It leads with dried-grapes and chocolate but manages to find a streak of varietal blackberries at its heart, and, even if a touch hot in the latter going, its open, slightly rounded, ever so soft style invites near-term drinking.

Community Tasting Notes (average 84.7 pts. and median of 85 pts. in 21 notes)

Rating: Good Value - As reviewed by Wine & Spirits Magazine on 02/08

Rating for United States-California: 78 (bad year)<br/><br/>Drinkability: unpredictable<br/>

4: good reliable wine

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