Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot 61

Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot 61 (750ML)

Marietta Cellars "Old Vine Red" (OVR)—specifically Lot 61—is a legendary, foundational player in the history of California winemaking. Long before the modern market was flooded with sweet, mass-produced California red blends, founder Chris Bilbro launched this revolutionary label in 1982. He essentially created the premium, value-driven California "field blend" category.

Rather than relying on a single harvest year, Marietta employs a multi-vintage blending technique (similar to Champagne or Sherry production) to combine young, vibrant fruit with older, more structured barrel components. Sourced entirely from family-owned estate vineyards across Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, Lot 61 stands as a masterclass in everyday winemaking. It has consistently earned the title of one of California's finest value reds from critics like Robert Parker, offering an unbeatable price-to-quality ratio.

Quick Product Specs

• Size: 750ML

• ABV: 13.5%

• Wine Type: Multi-Vintage (Non-Vintage) Red Field Blend

• Grape Architecture: A proprietary, Zinfandel-dominant blend rounded out with Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignan, and Barbera

• Aged Vine Pedigree: Sourced primarily from low-yielding, old-vine parcels

• Origin: Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, California

Tasting Notes: Flavor and Aroma Profile

Because Marietta opts for true old-vine character over the heavy oak treatments and massive residual sugars used by newer commercial blends, Lot 61 tastes remarkably bright, balanced, and food-friendly.

• Aroma (Nose): Lively, expressive, and highly perfumed. The bouquet lifts from the glass with a brilliant wave of fresh strawberry, pomegranate fruit, and raspberry sorbet, supported by secondary accents of wild violets, dusty earth, and a hint of peppery spice.

• Palate (Taste): Full-bodied, plush, and wonderfully round. The first sip treats the tongue to a lush, concentrated burst of ripe blackberry jam, grape jelly, and red licorice. Across the mid-palate, it deepens significantly as the Petite Sirah and Syrah introduce savory layers of dark bramble berries and baking spices.

• Finish: Medium-long and exceptionally smooth. The jammy fruit characteristics taper off cleanly without feeling heavy or sticky, closing with soft, integrated tannins and a mouthwatering trail of cracked black pepper.

How to Serve and Appreciate Lot 61

• The Quick Open Pour: This is a zero-pretension, crowd-pleasing house red. It does not require hours in a heavy decanter to show its character. Simply pop the cork and pour. However, giving it about 15 to 20 minutes of air in the glass will beautifully unfurl the underlying pomegranate and violet floral aromas.

• The Perfect Temperature: To prevent the Zinfandel fruit from tasting "jammy" or alcoholic, serve it at a classic cellar temperature of 60°F to 65°F (15°C to 18°C). If it has been sitting in a warm kitchen, stick the bottle in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before pouring.

• A Mixologist's Secret Weapon: Because of its soft tannins, low price, and juicy fruit-and-spice profile, Lot 61 is an elite base wine for cocktails. Use it to build a robust Sangria, float it on top of a New York Sour, or mix it over ice with Mexican cola for an authentic Kalimotxo.

Best Food Pairings

Thanks to the touch of Barbera in the blend (which adds bright natural acidity) and its gentle tannin grid, this wine cuts through char and rich cheeses without clashing.

• Backyard Barbecue: A flawless companion to smoky baby back ribs, grilled burgers, charcoal-charred carne asada tacos, or smoked pulled pork.

• Weeknight Comfort Foods: Match a glass next to wood-fired Margherita pizza, spaghetti bolognese, or gourmet sausage sliders.

• Cheese & Charcuterie: It pairs beautifully with casual entertaining platters featuring sharp cheddar, pepper jack, salami, and prosciuttos.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What does the "Lot 61" designation mean?

Because Marietta Old Vine Red is a multi-vintage blend rather than a single-year wine, it cannot legally print a specific year (like 2022) on the front label. Instead, they track their chronology using Lot numbers. "Lot 61" signifies that this bottle represents the 61st distinct, proprietary release of this historic blend since the program began in 1982.

Is Marietta Old Vine Red sweet like Apothic Red or The Prisoner?

No. Many modern California red blends rely on high levels of residual sugar and heavy oak extracts to mimic smoothness, which can make them taste cloying. Marietta OVR is a traditionally dry, old-school field blend. While it possesses immense, juicy fruit sweetness on the nose and entry (drawn from ripe Zinfandel grapes), it finishes clean, dry, and balanced, with a savory, spicy edge.

What exactly is a "Field Blend"?

A field blend is an ancestral winemaking practice where multiple distinct grape varieties are planted, harvested, and fermented entirely together in the same vineyard. In the early days of California viticulture, vineyards were planted with Zinfandel, Carignan, and Petite Sirah mixed randomly across the slopes. Marietta honors this old-world heritage by keeping Zinfandel as the sweet fruit spine, using Petite Sirah for deep color/tannin, and adding Syrah and Barbera for spice and acidity.

If you are looking to stock up on reliable weeknight reds, I can pull together a quick comparison table matching Marietta OVR against other classic, value-priced California field blends (such as Bedrock's The Whole Shebang or Seghesio) to map out their grape compositions and styles. Do you want me to do that?