A Resilient Harvest
In the series, Fine Wine. Fine Design., Chisel co-founder Marcy Townsend explores the relationship between fine wine and architecture and makes notable recommendations you’ll want to enjoy.
Recommendation: Quaglia Ancient Vine Zinfandel; vineyard: V. Sattui
The harvest by nature is resilient and rooted in energy. With every harvest there is opportunity to learn from the past, grow new things, refine our process, and forge a better path. In Chisel’s architectural practice, notably in 2021, we’ve found this to be particularly relevant.
On the theme of resilience, I’m recommending Quaglia Ancient Vine Zinfandel from V. Sattui Vineyard. It’s top of mind as my husband, Oscar, and I traveled to Napa in late 2021 and unearthed a truly special zinfandel at winery V. Sattui. While seated in the vineyard’s pinnacle Tower Tasting Room, we got to sample the winemakers top tier single vineyard and reserve wines, including this special zinfandel.
The Quaglia struck a perfect balance of deep fruity notes and earthy minerality, making this rather young zin our favorite from this year’s pilgrimage. While pouring the tasting of this wine, a wine expert explained that this zin is ready to drink and needn’t be cellared like typical zins. This is because its grapes come from vines that are 125+ years old, pre-dating Prohibition. Surviving against those odds, they are now coveted and produce a small yet superior yield of grapes.
I liken zinfandel to a Craftsman Bungalow if we’re comparing wine to architectural styles. When seeking to appreciate a zinfandel it’s easy to find a variety whose taste can vary widely depending on where its fruit was grown, much like the variety of Bungalows you’ll find across America with their different regional architectural details. On another note, a zinfandel is an approachable wine that can move and inspire novice and experienced drinkers alike in its taste, as does the approachable scale of a Bungalow. Both will leave a person feeling warm, cozy, and embraced while remaining sturdy, dependable, and functional. Long considered the “wine drinker’s wine” for its dependability, it is robust, complex, and layered in its structure while still very approachable.
In the wine world, it’s widely agreed upon that older vines make better quality wine. This is especially true for zinfandel. Old vine zin, generally born from vines that are 60-years old, is easy to find. More coveted is ancient vine zin whose vines are aged 80+ years , meaning those vines were planted shortly after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. Very few, if any, vines survived Prohibition because when it went into effect in 1920, vineyards were forced to destroy their winemaking vines.
Knowing this wine’s backstory drew us into it even more. It’s a reminder that while seeking a deeper level of understanding wine can seem daunting and intimidating, starting with the wine’s story is always a good place to begin. For this specific recommendation I’d also add that if one tends to like red wine, a suitable intro wine might be zinfandel. It’s easily liked and appreciated, no matter one’s level of experience. Long considered the “wine drinker’s wine” for its dependability, it is robust, complex, and layered in its structure while still very approachable.
--- This wine’s story of perseverance and resilience made it a perfect addition to Chisel’s 2021 Holiday Crate given to our most appreciated clients and colleagues. For all others interested, one may purchase a bottle (or two!) for themselves here: www.vsattui.com