Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel Wine Grapes for Sale
50 year old Lodi Zinfandel in August, 2016
2016 Zinfandel, Lodi — $135 - SOLD OUT
It took us a little while but we finally found Zin up to our standards. These vines were planted in 1965 in the most sought after section of Lodi between the Mokelumne River and Dry Creek, right on the border of the Jahant AVA and and the Mokelunne AVA. Here the soils feature a combination of sandy, decomposed granite from nearby river as well as Jahant clay loam. This provides a unique combination of well draining soils on top and water retaining soils below allowing for minimal irrigation. The Delta breeze cools the region at the night and hot days allow for easy ripening, leading to an extracted, fully ripe style of Zin that can only come from one place.
Lodi is the self proclaimed “Zinfandel Capitol of the World” and was recently name Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast.
Currently Available Zinfandel:
Each pail includes 5 gallons of grape must
Product will arrive partially frozen.
Lodi, California
Brix: 24.3 , pH:3.60 , TA: 5.8 g/ L, YAN: 216 mg/ L
Full ETS Lab Report in Photos
Harvested October 3rd , 2023
Planted in 1906
After almost a decade of working with the Van Ruiten family, they’ve finally let us have a few tons of fruit from their oldest Zinfandel planting. This Ancient Vine Zinfandel was planted in 1906. It’s dry farmed, self rooted and yielding less than 1 ton per acre. Wines from this vineyard usually express those rustic old vine flavors of dried plum, sage, and star anise.
“Lying directly east of the largest gap in California’s Coast Ranges – the San Francisco Bay – Lodi experiences a Mediterranean climate characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. During the growing season, warm, sunny days allow for optimal ripening of winegrapes. By contrast, cool winds off the Pacific Ocean which travel inland over a network of waterways act a natural air conditioner for the region, helping winegrapes maintain racy acidity. Together, geography and climate provide Lodi the unique ability to grow an unusually diverse range of winegrapes. Though Lodi is sometimes perceived as a hot-climate region, in reality, average temperatures are comparable to or even lower than other well-known regions like Healdsburg (Sonoma), St. Helena (Napa Valley), and Paso Robles."
“Lodi’s diverse soils were formed thousands of years ago through geological events and alluvial waters. Two major rivers originating in the Sierra Nevada–the Mokelumne and Cosumnes—have brought soils rich in granitic-based minerals that complement the fine sandy loam soils surrounding the community of Lodi. Recent expansion has driven vineyards into previously undeveloped areas along the eastern edge of the appellation where a range of older lower fertility soils are found; these ideal winegrowing soils range from heavier clay-based soils in the south to well-drained stony soils in the north. A few of the more dominant soils in the region include Tokay Fine Sandy Loam, Tuscan Stony Loam, San Joaquin Loam, and Archerdale Clay Loam. The fine, well-draining Tokay Sandy Loam is home to the majority of Lodi's fifty- to one hundred-year-old Zinfandel vines.”