Marietta Cellars OVR - The Original Red Blend!

Dear Friend,

During our month of sharing outrageous wine values with you, we are excited to share with you a wine many of you have seen on these email newsletters before. Today, we have a new bottling of Marietta Old Vine Red (or OVR for short). I have said numerous times here that it might be the best red wine value we carry year round in the stores. I can vividly remember this being the first solid case of wine I bought for myself. Back in the 90’s, it cost about 10 bucks a bottle, so today’s price at under $15 a bottle, is still a real bargain! The newest release just received a remarkable 95 point score from the Wine Advocate, the highest rating it has ever received. This is a wine that I have been drinking on and off for the last 25 years, and it has never scored this high before!

"For over three decades one of the greatest values in dry California red wine has been the nonvintage kitchen sink blend from the Bilbro’s family-owned Marietta Cellars…This wine flies off retailers’ shelves, so smart consumers take note.” – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

Marietta Cellars was founded by Sonoma County native Chris Bilbro in 1978. Initially, he purchased whatever grapes he could and the wine was excellent from the start. His family had three generations making wine in California, so winemaking was in his blood. Today, his son Scot Bilbro is running the estate. Scot graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Enology in 2007 and began working full time at the winery. He became the winemaker in 2012 and has brought Marietta more great accolades than ever. He says he learned by watching his father, not only in the winery but at home cooking ribs, blending the spices to make them balanced, just like making a wine. Today, Marietta wines are mostly estate grown and all organic from their 310 acres in Alexander Valley, McDowell Valley, and Yorkville Highlands.

Old Vine Red is a wine made to honor the field blends of Sonoma back when they did not know what every vine in their vineyards were. These old vineyards would have varietals like Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Grenache, and Syrah all growing together; winemakers just mixed them all and made the best wine they could. Marietta first released this multiple vintage, multiple varietal wine in 1982 and it is recognized as the first "Red Blend" made in the United States. Since its first vintage it has been an incredible value. Initially it was made with the thought of being a reliable house pour for restaurants.

If you are interested in today’s featured wine, please reply to this email, call your nearest location, or follow this link to order. Curbside pickup or delivery is available. Marietta OVR is one to consider by the case, many of you have taken this advice in the past and I am confident as ever in this batch. Lot 73 is a mixture of wines from the 2020, 2019, and 2018 vintages, some aged in barrel, some in stainless steel. It offers the freshness of young wines with the complexity of aged wines and drinks so well from the first sip until the bottle is empty. I like it by itself or with simple midweek meals like burgers, pizza or tacos. Don’t miss Lot 73!

Sincerely,

Alek Leontie

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