Jessie’s Grove and Old Vines
Home to the oldest producing Zinfandel vineyards in the Lodi AVA of California, Jessie’s Grove is both a treat to visit and truly a journey back in time. There’s something completely epic about gazing over acres of vines that pre-date every single person you’ve ever met, and then some.
For me, old vines can bring feelings of wonder and admiration when you think about the foresight, care and preservation that it took for vines to not only exist today without humans tearing them up to replant, but also for them to be so well cared for that they have thrived and continue producing fruit, enough to make delicious wine.
How are Jessie’s Grove vines so old?
The property has been in the family since the late 1800s, with the second generation son Jessie deciding to plant the first grape vines in 1888. Since then, the land has been passed down through generations with each putting their labor and love into preserving and nurturing both these original vines and planting new ones. The property today consists of 265 acres of grape vines and they remain abundantly proud of their still-producing old vine Zinfandel and Cinsault — some of which are ~130 years old!
Where are the world’s oldest vines?
After doing some additional research into the topic, I discovered a few things. First, the US doesn’t have the…
