Artezin Old Vine Zinfandel Mendocino County 2016

I bought a bottle of Artezin Old Vine Zinfandel at Costco three months ago. I cannot explain why I had not opened it. It just seemed like there was always something else in the wine refrigerator that I just could not wait to drink. I can say that my recent experiences with Zinfandel were disappointing, with many wines that were too sweet for my taste. In any case, last night, Zinfandel seemed like a good pairing for my burger.

Artezin is 84% Zinfandel, 14% Petit Sirah and 2% Carignan. The wine is 100% barrel aged, mostly in French oak and has 14.5% alcohol. Since some old vine Zinfandel wines have a higher alcohol content, I was a little concerned that the wine could be a little sweet.

Surprisingly, the wine has aromas of both red and black fruit. I tasted a little raspberry along with blackberry. pepper and spice. I was pleased that this is a dry wine with medium tannins. Everything seems in balance and the finish lingers a very long time. I really enjoyed this wine and I should have tried it sooner. Earlier today, I was in Costco and was pleased to see that Artezin Old Vine Zinfandel is still in stock ($12.49).

SC Wine Joe rating = 91 points

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