Despite being our home state’s signature variety, we have to admit we don’t offer much Zinfandel. For a crew whose palates lean heavily toward the graceful and elegant, so much of it is just too big, too boozy, too syrupy sweet. But Precedent’s Zinfandel is the polar opposite, and it has us seriously questioning our drinking habits. 

Seeing as this bottle hails from one of the state’s oldest and most iconic vineyards (Evangelho), and is crafted by one of its most respected winemakers (Nathan Kandler of Thomas Fogarty), today’s 2018 Zin should serve as an origin story of classic California wine. It is remarkably complex, soulful stuff that we’d happily pour alongside California’s most serious Cabernets and Bordeaux Blends. Within its powerful yet focused structure is a mélange of brambly dark fruits, potent spice, and a resounding throughline of minerality. If you, like us, have long approached this historically important variety with hesitation, Precedent is here to remind you that, in the right terroir, guided by the right hand, true profundity is possible with Zinfandel. Only eleven barrels were produced!

There are certainly more famous and sought-after vineyards than Evanghelo. But there might not be a site in the United States as singular as this. Located in Contra Costa County, about 50 miles east of San Francisco and just northeast of Mount Diablo, Evanghelo is a treasure of California grape-growing heritage. It was planted in the 1890s by Portuguese immigrants, making it one of the oldest surviving vineyards on Earth today. The bush vines are a wild mix of Zinfandel, Mourvédre (known as Mataro here), Carignan, and a rash of other unidentified varieties. These gnarly centenarian vines plunge their roots deep into what’s basically pure sand soils in search of water and nutrients. That sandy soil prevented phylloxera from ever getting a foothold here, meaning all of the vines are own-rooted. And this special place isn’t nestled amongst a landscape of other vineyards; a highway runs alongside it, abandoned factories loom over it, power lines literally run through it, and across the street is a fast food restaurant. Vineyards don’t get any more American than this.

The man behind Precedent knows a thing or two about interpreting great California sites. Since 2004, Nathan Kandler has worked at the iconic Santa Cruz winery Thomas Fogarty where he’s made stunningly pure Chardonnays and Pinots to compete with the best in the state. With Precedent, his personal project, Nathan explores historic sites like Evanghelo that, while they may not be in the most famous neighborhoods, produce wines of serious distinction. His touch in the cellar is minimal, employing plenty of whole clusters, spontaneous fermentations, and neutral barrels. The results are pure, unadulterated looks into California’s vinous majesty.

The 2018 Precedent “Evanghelo Vineyard” Zinfandel pours a deep purple with hints of pink. The nose is a medley of deep, dark fruits, blackberry jam, fresh black cherries, dried Damson plums, blackcurrants, and boysenberry backed up by high-toned black pepper, anise, cinnamon, and tobacco spice that place it firmly outside the tutti-fruity realm of most Zin. The palate is dense and full-bodied, but with a fine coating of tannin and invigorating acidity to wick away all that concentration. This would be magical next to a leg of lamb or beef off the grill. And it’s long been a sommelier insider secret that quality Zinfandel becomes magical once they’ve rested in a cellar for around a decade and often much longer—old Frog’s Leap comes to mind. Enjoy!