The 2022 Red Wine Old Hill Ranch is a wine of real stature and breeding. Whereas most of the 2022's I tasted for this report will drink well with minimal cellaring, the 2022 Old Hill is going to need a few years to come into its own. Readers will need to be patient. As is so often the case, this ranch in Sonoma Valley yields wines of extraordinary character. Proprietor and farmer Will Bucklin coaxes tremendous personality from a magical site defined by its unique terroir and the rich mosaic of varieties that is planted here.

The 2022 Old Hill Ranch Red Wine is a field blend of mostly Zinfandel and a host of nearly 20 other red varieties, aged in 15% new French oak barrels. It has a deep red hue and reveals a layered and introspective nose boasting aromas of fresh leather, sage, mushroomy earth, and dried berries. Medium to full-bodied, it has a characteristic weightless feel, with ripe tannins and a well-balanced, even-keeled finish that slowly tapers away. It will be a wine to forget about in the cellar for a few years and return to as it opens up with bottle age in the next several years. Drink 2026-2040.