Price: $11
Maker: Woodbridge Winery
Variety: Zinfandel
Packaging: bottle, artificial cork
Our Rating: 8 out of 10
Woodbridge Fish Net Creek Old Vine Zinfandel 2002 is a great zin if you prefer one that doesn’t have the fruity sweetness that overwhelms some inexpensive brands. Its aroma is spicy raspberry, with a bare hint of licorice. The flavor is balanced – jammy fruit, soft tannin, pepper, and oak lead into a lingering finish.
Woodbridge is a brand of Robert Mondavi; previously a low end brand, it is now being repositioned with the “Woodbridge Select Vineyard Series” offering more upscale wines. This zin is composed of 82% Zinfandel, 6% Barbera, 6% Petite Sirah, 4% Syrah, and 2% Sangiovese. The Woodbridge website notes,
These gnarled old vines, deeply rooted in the sandy loam soils near the Mokelumne (pronounced Muh-KUHL-ah-mee) River – meaning “land of the fish net people,” produce small grape clusters, which give this wine its deep berry character with nuances of aromatic spices…
…Fish Net Creek Old Vine Zinfandel has lush, concentrated bramble berry, black pepper and spice character, the signature of old gnarled Zinfandel vines.
You may be able to find this wine for under $10, a nice value for comparatively sophisticated zin.