Zin Vineyards at 100 Years and Counting

Profiles of 10 wineries that source coveted 100-year-old Zinfandel vines

A Zinfandel vine in Monte Rosso vineyard in Moon Mountain, Sonoma County, California
Grown on south-facing slopes with volcanic influence, the gnarled vines of Monte Rosso—meaning red mountain—produce bottlings that boast a characteristic minerality. (Steve Orozco)

The best California Zinfandels have one thing in common: They’re made from old vines. These vineyards are living history, with disfigured vines that twist up from the ground and have bark that looks crusty and wounded. These vineyards always produced great wines, and old farmers could not bear to rip them out. Here are brief profiles of 10 of those classic vineyards, each of them at least 100 years old.

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