Marietta “Old Vine Red Lot Number 47” (California) – It’s hard to say if this perennial blend lives up to its ancestors’ reputation (the oldest I’ve tasted was, if I remember correctly, the 18, though not in its youth), because it seems difficult to see the appeal of holding it long enough to find out. Big but not overblown California berry fruit, with a bit of softening in the cellar and a good measure of approachability. And that’s really all there is to say about it. (1/09)