Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel

From Sonoma, California, Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel is a blend of 75% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah, 6% Syrah and 3% Mixed Blacks.

According to the Ravenswood Winery, this Vintners Blend is aged 10 months in 100% French Oak, 35% new.  Skin contact 7-10 days.

For this review we tasted the 2011 vintage.  Alcohol content per the bottle is 13.5%.

A friend of mine shared this bottle with me and suggested we review it.  It’s one of his go-to wines.  He’s pretty good at picking out enjoyable wines, so I knew this would probably be good.

Ravenswood also makes a “Napa Valley” version of this wine.  You can see that review here:  Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel Napa Valley

Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel Review

In appearance Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel is dark black cherry in color.  It’s a dark wine and very little light penetrates this wine.

Legs were thin and non-sluggish in their descent down the sides of the glass.

The wine’s aroma “greets you” from afar.  It’s very aromatic and enjoyable.  We picked up hints of tobacco, some floral notes, and a bit of mocha as the aroma developed.

We had two slightly differing opinions of the taste.  We both liked it.  I felt there were tastes of mocha and rich berries.  My friend agreed but also added that he picked up “a hint of bitterness with a sensation (not a flavor) of peppermint on the center of the tongue.”  I would attribute that to spice, but his description was certainly more elegant!

Tannins of the Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel were noticed on the tongue, mostly.  We both agreed the mouthfeel to be silky to linen.

Finish of the wine was short to medium and we considered it to be “smooth.”

Overall, we both agreed the Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel is a very likeable wine.  It’s easy drinking and smooth, perfect as a sipping wine for an evening with friends.

Price of Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel about $7.00 which makes it a great value.  Recommend!