Mettler Family Vineyards Epicenter Old Vine Zinfandel 2018
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Deep, dark, and mysterious, this wine shows a shadowed elegance. Scents of grilled beef, blackberry, and black pepper are heady. Plush notes of plum surge on the palate with vanilla, cedar, a persistent thread of pepper, and bittersweet dark chocolate.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Mettler Family Vineyards Epicenter Old Vine Zinfandel shows up with loads of fruit on the palate that lasts long into the wine's finish. TASTING NOTES: This wine brings lively berries, raspberry-like, and licorice to the fore with its aromas and flavors. Pair it with BBQ baby back ribs. (Tasted: September 24, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Carl worked closely with nearby Universities to delegate several vineyard sites to experimental varieties. This experimentation helped to establish growing conditions for specific varieties in the Lodi region. Carl's dedication in the vineyard awarded him a spot in the Agricultural Hall of Fame. His integrity and love of the land is still being carried out by one of his three sons, Larry Phillip, who still farms the original Mettler Vineyards.
Today, Larry Mettler—the youngest of Carl’s three sons, and also an Agriculture Hall of Fame recipient—still farms the original Mettler Vineyards. He has continued to keep the family's passion for excellence in the vineyard alive, and he and his wife Charlene have instilled that within their three children, Kimberly, Kelli, and Adam. All family members play an integral role in the family business, as well as Kimberly’s husband and vineyard manager Jason Eells.
Over the years, the Mettler family’s premium vineyards have produced grapes for many well-known wineries. In 2001, they released their inaugural wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, to high acclaim, and have since added Petite Sirah and Zinfandel to the portfolio of estate wines. Family pride and old world values have remained with this family through eight generations of grape growing—including six generations in the Lodi area. The Mettler family works closely together to ensure that every detail reflects their commitment to producing wines of the highest quality.
Unapologetically bold, spice-driven and jammy, Zinfandel has secured its title as the darling of California vintners by adapting well to the state's diverse microclimates and landscapes. Born in Croatia, it later made its way to southern Italy where it was named Primitivo. Fortunately, the imperial nursery of Vienna catalogued specimens of the vine, and it later made its way to New England in 1829. Parading the true American spirit, Zinfandel found a new home in California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Somm Secret—California's ancient vines of Zinfandel are those that survived the neglect of Prohibition; today these vines produce the most concentrated, ethereal and complex examples.
Positioned between the San Francisco Bay and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the Lodi appellation, while relatively far inland, is able to maintain a classic Mediterranean climate featuring warm, sunny days and cool evenings. This is because the appellation is uniquely situated at the end of the Sacramento River Delta, which brings chilly, afternoon “delta breezes” to the area during the growing season.
Lodi is a premier source of 100+ year old ancient Zinfandel vineyards—some dating back as far as 1888! With low yields of small berries, these heritage vines produce complex and bold wines, concentrated in rich and voluptuous, dark fruit.
But Lodi doesn’t just produce Zinfandel; in fact, the appellation produces high quality wines from over 100 different grape varieties. Among them are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc as well as some of California's more rare and unique grapes. Lodi is recognized as an ideal spot for growing Spanish varieties like Albarino and Tempranillo, Portugese varieties—namely Touriga Nacional—as well as many German, Italian and French varieties.
Soil types vary widely among Lodi’s seven sub-appellations (Cosumnes River, Alta Mesa, Deer Creek Hills, Borden Ranch, Jahant, Clements Hills and Mokelumne River). The eastern hills are clay-based and rocky and in the west, along the Mokelumne and Cosumnes Rivers, sandy and mineral-heavy soils support the majority of Lodi’s century-old own-rooted Zinfandel vineyards. Unique to Lodi are pink Rocklin-Jahant loam soils, mainly found in the Jahant sub-appellation.