NV Marietta - Old Vine Red Lot #75

Marietta Cellars was founded in 1978 by Chris Bilbro, a Sonoma County native with three generations of winemaking behind him. The winery built its reputation on Old Vine Red, a blend that essentially created the California red blend category when it first appeared in 1982 and remains the estate's signature project decades later. Chris's son Scot Bilbro, who joined full-time after earning his enology degree from UC Davis, took over as winemaker in 2012 and now guides Marietta's roughly 310 estate acres across Alexander Valley, McDowell Valley, and Yorkville Highlands, farmed organically.

Old Vine Red is made in numbered lots rather than single vintages, a method that lets Marietta blend juice and wine from multiple years to preserve a consistent house style rather than chasing vintage variation. Lot 75, the 75th release since the wine's inception, is built primarily around Zinfandel, joined by Syrah and Petite Sirah along with smaller amounts of Barbera, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. The approach reflects the old field-blend vineyards of Sonoma and Mendocino that originally inspired the wine.

This lot shows a medium ruby-purple color with aromas of red and black plum, raspberry candy, and floral potpourri. The medium-bodied palate is rounded and bright, layered with earthy fruit and a softly spiced finish. It's an easy match for roast pork, grilled sausages, or a simple margherita pizza.