Over the past decade-plus, more and more Northern California vintners have become increasingly attuned to the benefits of old vines. They’re also becoming more vocal about it. Graeme MacDonald and his parcel of old vines in To Kalon have helped lead this charge, along with Tegan Passalacqua of Sandlands, the Morisoli family in Rutherford, winemaker Meghan Zobeck at Burgess and Jason Jardine at Hanzell among others.
One of the Golden State’s greatest pockets of old vines is in the famed Monte Rosso vineyard in Sonoma’s Moon Mountain District. Now owned by Gallo, the 243-acre vineyard (the entire ranch totals 575 acres) has been the backbone of many long-lived Cabernets and intriguing Zinfandel-based field blends. Soon, Gallo will introduce Monte Rosso Estate, a label dedicated exclusively to those old vines.
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