This wine is one that I was particularly excited to dive into. Andis sources juice for this bottle from the revered Grandpere Vineyard, located about 42 miles to the east of Sacramento.
The vineyard is one of the oldest in America, with vines dating back as far as 1869.
The consulting winemaker for Andis, Philippe Melka, is one of my all-time favorite winemakers. In fact, he was once named one of the top nine winemakers of all time by renowned wine critic Robert Parker.
He graduated from the University of Bordeaux with a degree in Geology and has worked with such prestigious wineries as Chateau Petrus, Chateau Haut-Brion, and Dominus.
He has traditionally been known for Cabernet and Cabernet-based blends, and this is his first foray into the world of Zinfandel, as far as I am aware.
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Andis Grandpere Vineyard Zinfandel Review
Founded in 2010 by Andy Friedlander and Janis Akuna, the Andis winery is a modern state-of-the-art “green” designed winery with a focus on producing exceptional wines, primarily from Amador County.
Andis Grandpere Vineyard Zinfandel Summary
- Brand: Andis
- Country: United States
- Region: Shenandoah Valley, Amador County
- Wine Type: Red Wine
- Varietal: Zinfandel
- ABV: 15.5%
Appearance
The wine is an inky-dark purple shade in the glass. It is visibly heavy, with intensely dense legs which form rapidly as you swirl the glass a bit.
Smell
This is textbook Zinfandel in the best way possible. Aromas of blueberries and fresh blackberries are married with hints of black pepper, garrigue, and just a hint of smoky meat upfront.
The aromas are intense and pour readily from the glass to your nose. The fruit smells slightly baked but not intensely jammy or sweet and is nicely balanced by the copious secondary notes.
Even by Zinfandel standards, this wine has some seriously hefty alcohol. This really helps to bring out the aromatics of the wine, and each sniff reveals a level of depth that was not present in the one previously.
Taste
This wine is absolutely mouth-watering. Black cherry, blackberries, and blueberries wash over the tongue, quickly followed by dark spices, toasty oak, and wild herbs.
Hints of leather and earth help to round out the flavor profile here. The flavors sit on the palate heavily and linger for quite some time. This is one of the handful of Zinfandels I have had, which almost demands decanting.
If you are on the fence about taking the time to do so, just go for it, and you will thank me later.
The palate is quite intense, with fine-grained oaky tannins, robust acidity, and a full, rich body.
What Does Andis Grandpere Vineyard Zinfandel Pair With?
This is a wine that screams to be paired with smoked meats. Roasted pork with a red-wine demi-glace wrapped in maple bacon would be an absolute match made in heaven for this bad boy.
That said, practically any smoked or cured meat will really shine when paired with this bottle.
Outside of that, I strongly recommend decadent dark chocolate dishes for this bottle.
I personally enjoy black forest cake, as the cherry flavors really bring out the fruit profile of the wine itself while intensifying the rich chocolate of the cake itself.
What Wines Are Similar to Andis Grandpere Vineyard Zinfandel?
Honestly, I feel as though this wine is in a league all alone. That said, I wholeheartedly recommend trying some other old-vine Zinfandel options.
Some of my favorites include Seghesio, Turley (a bit heavier on the fruit profile), and Biale’s wines, particularly the Black Chicken, which they produce.
Final Thoughts
Overall I would call this a ten out of ten Zinfandel. Big, robust, spicy, with plenty of intense dark fruit, there is nothing from this bottle that I do not love. I think that it is worth a spin for anyone who is a fan of heavier, intense reds.