Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Ancient Field Blend 2022

Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Ancient Field Blend 2022

Bucklin
$45.00

Grape: Zinfandel, Grenache, Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah
Vintage: 2022
Type: Red

Sourced from the historic Old Hill Ranch vineyard planted in 1885, this red wine represents an ancient field blend. The dry-farmed Sonoma Valley plot is dominated by zinfandel, co-fermented with grenache, alicante bouschet, petite sirah, and minor heirloom varieties. Winemaking utilizes spontaneous native yeast fermentations in open-top tanks to prioritize site transparency over modern wood styling. It ages for eighteen months in French oak barrels using twenty-five percent new wood.

It shows a deep ruby hue, opening with aromas of dark plum, blackberry, anise, and cocoa powder. The full-bodied palate is deep and structured, pairing concentrated black fruit flavors with a serious, velvety tannin framework. Savory notes of dried herbs and black pepper blend into the fruit core across the mid-palate. A clean, central thread of natural acidity cuts through the volume, maintaining excellent freshness. It concludes long and dry, leaving a persistent impression of dark fruit and spice.

Borgo del Tiglio is a celebrated, small-production winery located in the heart of the Collio region in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northeastern Italy, and is considered one of the country's preeminent producers of complex, age-worthy white wines. The estate is helmed by the meticulous and philosophical Nicola Manferrari, who, despite initially training as a pharmacist, brought a scientific precision and deep respect for site-specific expression to winemaking after taking over the family property in the early 1980s. Borgo del Tiglio's philosophy is rooted in the unique terroir of the Collio hills, particularly its **Ponca** soil—a friable mixture of marl and sandstone—which imparts a distinctive, saline-infused minerality and energy to the wines. Focusing on indigenous varietals like Friulano, Malvasia, and blended with international grapes like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, the wines are known for their chiselled structure, elegance, and deep concentration, earning Borgo del Tiglio a benchmark status among Italy's elite white wine estates.