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Dry Creek Valley, California

$23-$27
With an average age of 56 years old, vines stressed in the gravelly, loamy soils derived from an ancient volcano on the slopes above Dry Creek Valley have given their all to produce Pezzi King's inaugural vintage of Old Vines Zinfandel. A blend of 95-percent Zin, 2-percent Carignane and 3-percent Petite Sirah, this wine provides big-time cinnamon-spice aromas, some jammy plum and the characteristic Old Vines' raisiny flavors along with a balanced alcohol presence. Aged in both French and American oak, the wine was resplendent with mature fruit, and a wonderful complexity -- a much more varied style than most Zins in the market. Robert Parker in The Wine Advocate gave it an 87 while our tasting panel felt it was in the top 10 percent of California Zins. Good with duck, veal, eggplant dishes, pasta and sauce. Once only available at the winery, the wine can be found at Dorignac's and The Wine Seller. -- Brenda Maitland

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