2016 Three Wine Company Old Vines Zinfandel Contra Costa County 750 ml

The first Three Wine Co. Old Vines Zinfandel ever offered on Wine Access was the rockstar of 2008. When we delivered it to our members in July of 2011, the midnight-hued ‘08 was delicious, but still young—tightly wound and massively concentrated with a texture like velvet. Last week, as we prepared to offer today’s stunning 2016, we dipped into the cellar to check on our baby... 

Hold that thought. To be clear, on most occasions we’d lead off with the story of Matt Cline as the winemaking superhero who protects some of the oldest heritage vineyards in California. At the risk of overlooking an important piece of viticultural history, we think this calls for a different approach. 

Frankly, the Old Vines Zinfandel commands attention all by itself. The 2016—a brooding, spice-tinged beauty that is grown on the same 140-year-old vines Cline has sworn to protect—is already delivering richness and depth at staggering levels. And it’s only getting started. 

This kind of pedigree would be noteworthy in a $40 bottle, but in the $20 range it's absolutely remarkable. It’s the reason why Matt Cline’s Old Vines Zin has been the most successful value Zinfandel in Wine Access history, and why the 2016 is poised to continue that trend. 

Now, back to the ‘08. 

Popping the cork and pouring four ounces in oversized Riedel stems, we recognized the signature bouquet now tinged with tertiary brilliance: dried blackberries and black cherries intertwined with hazelnut, licorice, clove, and toffee. Over the years, the ‘08 has shed its tight cloak, transforming an iron fist into mid-palate velour. The evolution has yielded a harmonious, rich, and spellbinding wine.  

Like its older sibling, Cline’s 2016 is a blend of ancient-vine Zinfandel, Carignan, Petite Sirah, and Alicante Bouschet. It’s the vines that make this wine so special. Rooted in Delhi sand soils and planted by workers who wouldn’t live to see the Model T, these hardy plants have lasted—generation after generation—and today continue to eke out tiny berries that translate to supreme concentration in the glass, balanced by the elegance and balance imparted by Matt’s deft touch. 

Also like the ‘08, the 2016 is high-toned, with a pH of 3.42. In non-wine-geek parlance that translates to a wine with vibrant, mouthwatering acidity. Combined with chewy tannins and a deep core of ripe fruit, you’ve got a wine built for the long haul. 

If you can keep your hands off of it, we highly recommend investing in a case (or two) for drinking over the course of a decade or more. Old-vine brilliance in young wines is one thing, in aged wines it’s truly stunning. A window into a window of the past.