Birichino Saint Georges Old Vines Zinfandel 2021

Drink it now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant, but best to open it half an hour before service.

Founded in 2008 by Alex Krause and John Locke in Santa Cruz, California, Birichino is a young winery that uses traditional European techniques and sources grapes from select 19th- and early 20th-century vineyards. Their name derives from the Italian word meaning "playful." The winery's philosophy is based on the pursuit of pure grape expression, with low yields and minimal intervention to enhance the distinctive qualities of their terroirs.

The Zinfandel grapes come from a vineyard over 90 years old located at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Here, the vines are rooted in clay and schist soils, and enjoy gentle ocean breezes. The age of the vines, the low yields, and the favorable soil and climate conditions favor the production of an atypical Zinfandel, complex and with extraordinary freshness, capable of aging well. After harvest, fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a constant temperature, and the finished wine then ages for nine months in neutral barrels.

The Saint Georges Old Vines Zinfandel has a seductive and fragrant aromatic profile with notes of plum, blueberry, and strawberry, followed by hints of spices and herbs. On the palate, it is rounded and smooth, elegant and balanced, with a long, lingering finish. Try it with turkey with cranberry sauce.