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A Personal Note
Dear Artisans,
There is a wine that California’s most obsessive collectors quietly hoard. A wine that completely shatters everyone’s bias to Zinfandel. It comes from vines planted in 1888, farmed by the son of the godfather of the varietal, who is now America’s valiant savior of precious heritage vineyards.
This is the Bedrock Vineyard Heritage, and Jeb Dunnuck just gave the 2024 98 points: “Structured and detailed, it has excellent length and should age beautifully over the next two decades.” James Suckling, at 96: “Changes every time you go back to the glass.”
Bedrock calls it the most important wine they make. It has grown from six barrels in 2007, and in 2025 the vineyard became the only ancient-vine site in California that is Regenerative Organic Certified.
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Bedrock wines have received countless 96–100 point scores from every major critic, across multiple vintages and multiple single-vineyard bottlings. |
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Ranked #10 and #12 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year, a near-impossible achievement for a Zinfandel at this price point. |
The Producer
Why Collectors Are Hoarding Bedrock
Morgan Twain-Peterson MW is not a winemaker who chases scores or trends. He is a historian, a preservationist of California’s most irreplaceable viticultural heritage. His mission: find and farm the oldest surviving vines in the state, vines that were already ancient when Prohibition nearly wiped them out.
Wine Spectator
June 30, 2019
He didn’t arrive at that calling by accident. Morgan’s father is Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood and the undisputed godfather of American Zinfandel. Joel spent decades championing old-vine Zinfandel as a serious, cellar-worthy wine at a time when the category was dismissed as jug-wine territory. Morgan grew up in that world, absorbed its values, and then built something entirely his own, carrying the torch forward with a Master of Wine credential and an obsessive commitment to sourcing fruit that no one else even knew to look for.
Wine Spectator put the two of them on its cover in June 2019, standing in Bedrock Vineyard: “Father & Son: A Zinfandel Legacy in Sonoma.” Inside, it described a family “forging a family legacy around Zinfandel, working together to preserve old-vine vineyards.”
The Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel is his signature value: an eclectic field mix of vines averaging 80 years of age, with fruit drawn from some of California’s most historic ranches: Sodini, Bedrock, Teldeschi and Evangelho. These are not commodity vineyards. They are living monuments, yielding small crops of concentrated, character-driven fruit that modern plantings simply cannot replicate.
Wine Spectator calls it “sleek and juicy.” Antonio Galloni of Vinous calls it “classy” and “an absolute delight.” Jeb Dunnuck calls it “a tremendous value.” Five critics. Five endorsements. One price: $24.99.
James Tran
Artisan Wine & Spirits
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Why This Matters
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Jeb Dunnuck 98. On the 2024 Bedrock Vineyard Heritage, with James Suckling 96, Wine Advocate 95, Vinous 94, Decanter 94 and Wine Spectator 93. |
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Vines planted in 1888. And the only ancient-vine site in California that is Regenerative Organic Certified. |
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Two Wine Spectator Top 100s. No. 10 for the 2016 Bedrock Heritage, No. 12 for the 2015 Old Vine Zinfandel. |
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$24.99 for 80-year-old vines. The 2023 Old Vine Zinfandel, five critics at 91 to 93. |
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The last bottles. Three of the 2021 Evangelho, 11 of Carlisle’s Old Hill Ranch. |
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The Flagship · Vines Planted 1888
2024 Bedrock Vineyard Heritage.
Jeb Dunnuck 98. James Suckling 96. Wine Advocate 95. Vinous 94. Decanter 94. Wine Spectator 93.
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Bedrock Wine Co. Bedrock Vineyard Heritage Red 2024
Sonoma Valley, California
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98
Jeb Dunnuck
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96
James Suckling
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95
Wine Advocate
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94
Vinous
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94
Decanter
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93
Wine Spectator
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The core is always Blocks 39 and 42 on the “crown” of the vineyard, with ancient Carignan and Mourvèdre: about 62% Zinfandel, 19% Carignan, 10% Mourvèdre and 8% from more than 20 other varieties. Bedrock calls the 2024 one of the strongest wines of the year; yields were low, so there is less to go around. Every review is below, then what CellarTracker drinkers are saying.
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Jeb Dunnuck · Audrey Frick
98 Points
Officially certified regeneratively organic, with Tablas Creek among their few peers in this category, the 2024 Bedrock Vineyard Heritage Wine comes from the original vineyard where everything began for them. More reserved aromatically at first, it slowly reveals red fruits, mint, saline minerality, and brilliant mouthwatering acidity. Structured and detailed, it has excellent length and should age beautifully over the next two decades. Drink 2026-2046. Jun 2026
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James Suckling · Courtney Humiston
96 Points
Such an interesting wine. Leads with robust, just-ripe wild berries, crushed dried flowers and dried herbs. Medium-bodied and structured with a silky mid-palate followed by mineral tension. Changes every time you go back to the glass. The finish is long, flavorful and vibrant. Drink or hold. May 2026
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Wine Advocate · Erin Brooks
95 Points
The 2024 Bedrock Vineyard Heritage comes from vines planted in 1888; the vineyard was Regenerative Organic Certified in 2025. A blend of around 62% Zinfandel, 19% Carignan, 10% Mourvèdre and a small portion of more than 20 other varieties that are interplanted in the vineyard, it has slowly blossoming scents of peach, blueberry, bitter orange, rooibos tea, earth and iron-like undertones. The full-bodied palate is bursting with pure, detailed flavors. It’s structured by firm, suede-textured tannins and vibrant acidity and has a long, elegant finish. Drinking Window: 2026-2041. Aug 2026
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Vinous · Antonio Galloni
94 Points
The 2024 Bedrock Heritage Wine is a powerful, deep wine. Muscular contours and dark, enveloping fruit shape this virile, almost somber Zinfandel-based field blend. The 2024 needs time to soften, but it is also not quite as massive as some previous vintages, which is a positive. The overall direction at the Bedrock estate vineyard has been impressive of late. For years, I have asked myself if this site has the potential to make wines of the same level as some of the neighboring properties.
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Decanter · Clive Pursehouse
94 Points
Fully fruited, but there’s so much violet-driven elegance. Ample structure frames this old-vine fruit – more than 135 years old. The palate flashes piques of blood orange and plump, red cherries and red plum skins. There’s a savoury throughline with eucalyptus and an undeniable mineral freshness. Drinking Window: 2026-2033.
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Wine Spectator · Tim Fish
93 Points
Potent in structure and brooding at the core but plump with personality, offering blackberry and currant flavors accented by bitter chocolate, dark Asian spice and licorice tones as this builds tension and tannins on the finish. Hands off for now. Zinfandel, Carignan and Mourvèdre. Best from 2027 through 2037. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 1,200 cases made. Aug 2026
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What CellarTracker Drinkers Are Saying
| Blend |
About 62% Zinfandel, 19% Carignan, 10% Mourvèdre, 8% from 20+ other varieties |
| Vineyard |
Bedrock Vineyard, Sonoma Valley; vines planted in 1888 |
| Farming |
Regenerative Organic Certified, 2025 |
| Production |
1,200 cases (Wine Spectator) |
| Drink |
2026 to 2046 (Jeb Dunnuck) |
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The Value · 80-Year-Old Vines
2023 Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel.
Jeb Dunnuck 93. Wine Spectator 92. James Suckling 92. Vinous 91. Wine Advocate 91.
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Bedrock Wine Co. Old Vine Zinfandel 2023
Sonoma Valley, California
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93
Jeb Dunnuck
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92
Wine Spectator
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92
James Suckling
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91
Vinous
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91
Wine Advocate
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Morgan’s own words: “We take pride in this being one of the greatest value wines in the world.” Nearly half comes from Sodini Ranch, Bedrock Vineyard, Teldeschi Ranch and Evangelho, the rest from declassified barrels of vineyards Bedrock farms. The average vine age is over 80 years, and 70% of the fruit is farmed by the winery. Every review is below, then what CellarTracker drinkers are saying.
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Jeb Dunnuck · Audrey Frick
93 Points
The 2023 Zinfandel Old Vine was raised in 600-gallon foudre with a small proportion (8%) in new oak, and it’s roughly 90% Zinfandel along with an eclectic field mix. The nose opens to bright peppery spice, fresh cut flowers, and black raspberries, with deeper notes of fresh sanguine earth coming through. The palate is full-bodied yet restrained, with a detailed structure and length with a mountainous feel. It’s a great lens into the range they produce here at Bedrock and a tremendous value. Drink 2025-2032. Jul 2025
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Wine Spectator · Tim Fish
92 Points
Sleek and juicy, with fan-friendly cherry, raspberry, toasty spice and briar accents that glide on the zesty finish. Drink now through 2033. 8,000 cases made. Aug 2025
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James Suckling
92 Points
An expressive, fruity and well-balanced wine that shows the rich berry aromas of the grape variety while keeping a slightly tangy, lightly tannic texture that’s refreshing. Raspberries, red cherries, red plums and hints of sage and orange peel. Made from vines with an average age of 80 years. Drink now. Mar 2025
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Vinous · Antonio Galloni
91 Points
The 2023 Zinfandel Old Vine is a very pretty wine. Floral, spice-inflected and lifted, the 2023 is such a classy offering. In this vintage, the Old Vine Zinfandel is incredibly varietal. Even so, it is sensual, silky and wonderfully inviting. The blend is built on a core of fruit from Sodini, Bedrock, Teldeschi and Evangelho, with smaller bits from several other properties in the portfolio. Most of the wine is aged in neutral vessels, with a well-judged touch of spice from some new oak that adds flair. What an absolute delight. Jan 2025
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Wine Advocate · Erin Brooks
91 Points
The 2023 Zinfandel Old Vine comes from vines averaging 80 years old, and Bedrock farms the fruit for about 75% of this blend. It has expressive aromas of wild berries, licorice, earth and spice. The medium-bodied palate is rounded and smooth with a balance of concentrated, mineral-driven fruit and vibrant acidity, and it has a long, nuanced finish. Oct 2024
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What CellarTracker Drinkers Are Saying
| Blend |
Roughly 90% Zinfandel plus an eclectic field mix (Jeb Dunnuck) |
| Vineyards |
Sodini, Bedrock, Teldeschi, Evangelho, plus declassified barrels |
| Vine Age |
Average over 80 years |
| Cellar |
Native yeasts; foudre, puncheons and barrique, very little new oak |
| Drink |
Now to 2033 (Wine Spectator) |
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For The Collector
When 80-Year-Old Vines Aren’t Old Enough.
The last three bottles of the 2021 Evangelho Vineyard Heritage, from vines planted in the 1890s.
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Contra Costa County · Last 3 Bottles
Bedrock Evangelho Vineyard Heritage 2021
Contra Costa County, California
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96
Jeb Dunnuck
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94
Wine Spectator
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94
Vinous
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Own-rooted vines planted in the 1890s in the pure sand soils of Contra Costa: a field blend of Zinfandel, Mataro and Carignan with bits of Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Mission, Palomino and a single, ancient Clairette Blanche vine that took DNA to identify. Jeb Dunnuck, 96: “Lifted and pure with raspberry liqueur, fresh flowers, and brushy earth… a gorgeous, sandy mineral texture.”
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$39.97 / bottle
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The Final Chapter
Carlisle Has Closed. These Are the Last.
Wine Spectator called Carlisle “California’s top name in Zinfandel” when it announced production would cease with the 2024 harvest. Here are our last bottles of two of its final releases.
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Sonoma Valley · Last 11 Bottles
Carlisle “Old Hill Ranch” Red Wine 2022
Sonoma Valley, California
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96
Wine Spectator
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95+
Jeb Dunnuck
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95
Vinous
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Old Hill Ranch is a field blend of mostly Zinfandel with more than 30 other varieties, farmed by master grower Will Bucklin. Wine Spectator, 96: “Briary and brooding… gathering richness and texture toward medium-grained tannins.” Vinous, 95: “A wine of real stature and breeding.”
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$54.97 / bottle
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Russian River Valley · 47 Bottles Left
Carlisle “Papa’s Block” Syrah 2021
Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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95
Jeb Dunnuck
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94
Wine Spectator
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94
Vinous
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Mike Officer on the 2021: “Papa’s is often quite precocious in its youth but this version, perhaps my favorite to date, is definitely built for aging.” 30% whole cluster, 24 days on the skins, all French oak, unfined and unfiltered, 489 cases. Jeb Dunnuck, 95: “Full-bodied and generous, with a rounded feel… cocoa, black plum preserve, and turned soil.”
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$48.97 / bottle
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$45.97 / btl at 12+ save $36 on the case
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| Case pricing applies automatically at checkout. No code needed. |
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One More Old-Vine Zin
Mike & Molly Hendry R.W. Moore Vineyard.
Head-trained, dry-farmed Zinfandel from vines planted in 1905.
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Coombsville, Napa Valley · Planted 1905
Mike & Molly Hendry “R.W. Moore Vineyard” Zinfandel 2023
Coombsville, Napa Valley
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93
Wine Advocate (2022)
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93
Wine Enthusiast
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The R.W. Moore Vineyard was planted in 1905 and is still dry-farmed, head-trained and field-blended; Wine Advocate notes it was once made by Turley and offered as Moore Earthquake. Wine Enthusiast, 93, on the 2023: “Mouthwatering and full of flavor… Full of natural intensity, the R.W. Moore Zinfandel remains, nevertheless, refined, lithe, and delicious. A stand out.”
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The Bottom Line
These Are the Wines
Collectors Quietly Hoard.
Old vines. Historic vineyards. Winemakers who care more about the land than the spotlight. The 2024 Bedrock Vineyard Heritage, at 98 points from Jeb Dunnuck, is $54.99. The Old Vine Zinfandel is $24.99, and at that price it makes no sense.
The Evangelho is down to 3 bottles and the Old Hill Ranch to 11. All of them belong in your cellar.
Cheers,
— James Tran
Artisan Wine & Spirits
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