The Old Soul Pure Red 2013 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah sourced from Oak Ridge Winery vineyards in Lodi, California. Oak Ridge is the oldest winery in Lodi, they started in the 1930s as a co-op and is currently run by the Maggio and Reynolds family who have 5 generations of vineyard and mine-making experience. Lodi is due east of San Francisco and southeast of Napa, on the Sacramento River Delta. The weather can get very warm in the summer, but the climate is temper by cooling winds off the Pacific Ocean. Parts of this blend were aged on French and American oak for a year and the rest was aged in stainless steel tanks. This gives the wine significant oak influence combined with bright, fresh fruit flavors. The alcohol content is 13.5%.
The color is dark, dense, but see-thru cherry red with black highlights. The nose is blackberry and plums, a hit of spice, toasted vanilla and black Twizzlers. The Pure Red starts off smooth and juicy, then a solid bit of spice and tannins add backbone on the mid-palate. It starts with blackberry and raspberry, dark chocolate and cranberry. The mid-palate adds a shot of spice, a mild tug from the tannins and blueberries and a hint of vanilla cream. The Pure Red has good length, the flavors take their time to unfold. The tannins and the acidity are very well-balanced. The finish is smooth and lengthy.
The Old Soul Pure Red 2013 is an impressive bottle of wine for the money (lists for $14), it tastes like it should cost much more, I’m glad it doesn’t, but it hits like a more expensive wine. Concentrated fruit flavors, interesting spice, solid balance and excellent length equal a real good bottle of wine. It is bold without going overboard, all in all this is an excellent effort. As for food pairings, Latin or Spanish foods came to mind while sipping a glass, you might want to try a glass and see where your palate takes you.
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