If you’re tired of Zinfandels that are unbalanced and inelegant, try this one. Yes, the alcohol is high, but it folds perfectly into everything else. The vineyard is in the Olivet Road part of the valley, which in many ways represents the ideal terroir of the Russian River. You’ll find brisk acidity and firm tannins in this wine, but also ripely appealing blackberry, cherry, cola and briary wild chamomile flavors. This seriously good wine will age until 2022.

Opaque purple. Explosive, very ripe aromas of black raspberry, Indian spices, licorice and mocha. Sweet and fat on the palate, with an exotic spicecake quality to its dark berry and floral pastille flavors. Fleshy, harmonious zin, with excellent finishing clarity and lingering spiciness. These vines are over a century old, according to Hartford.

A wine of considerable muscle and depth, the 2011 Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard stands apart for its plushness and richness. Layers of dark, floral-infused red/black hued fruit saturate the palate. The 2011 is gorgeous today, but it should also age nicely for at least a handful of years. The Highwire is one of the more overtly fruit-driven Zinfandels in this range. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021.

At 98 years of age, the vineyard certainly qualifies as old vine, which isn’t the case with all wines so labeled. Who really knows what varieties actually constitute these ancient vineyards, but this wine is certainly rich in Zinfandel character. The wild raspberry and cherry fruits have a briary edge, suggesting the tartness of Dr. Pepper cola, the nettles of summer chamomile and the savoriness of green peppercorn. There’s little question that the wine will age well, but there’s no reason not to drink it now, with proper decanting.

Saturated ruby. Ripe black and blue fruits on the nose and palate. Exotic Asian spice and floral nuances gain power with air, along with a touch of candied licorice. Weighty but energetic, with strong finishing cut and smooth, well-knit tannins that add grip.

Big, bold, brawny yet strangely elegant, this Zin holds plenty of appeal. The vineyard is 96 years old, giving the wine unusual concentration and complexity. It’s one of the winery’s riper 2011 Zins, massive in wild raspberries, cherries and prunes, with spicy notes of black pepper and a nice touch of smoky oak.

Opaque purple. Extremely fragrant, with red and dark berry aromas and suggestions of anise and fresh rose. Smells and tastes like a ripe pinot, with elegant raspberry and blackberry flavors and supple, seamless texture. Finishes smooth and long, with resonating spiciness and well-judged tannins. This is surprisingly delicious now but I'd let it age for at least a few years. As with the rest of these zins, from a vineyard that was planted over 100 years ago.

Elegant, supple and well-structured, with raspberry and spice aromas and appealing cherry, tart blueberry and vanilla flavors, finishing with crisp minerality. Drink now through 2020

Zinfandel fans will celebrate this powerfully ripe, exuberant wine. It’s classic Russian River Zin, dry, tannic, heady and enormously rich in black currants, raisins, prunes, beef jerky and exotic baking spices. The finish is so fruity, it’s almost sweet, yet is actually quite dry, making it clean and zesty.

Vivid ruby-red. Lively, perfumed aromas of red berries, minerals, potpourri and spicecake. Silky and energetic in the mouth, with impressive intensity and focus to the vibrant raspberry and lavender pastille flavors. Finishes tangy, floral and very long, leaving mineral and spice notes behind. I wish more zins were made in this elegant style.

This deep, dark red is quite ripe, but has such powerful acidity that the balance holds beautifully. Aromas of huckleberry and licorice meet dense flavors of blackberry, toasty vanilla and loamy mineral.

Bright purple. Powerful scents of black and blue fruit preserves, floral oils and cola, with exotic Asian spices adding complexity. Broad and pliant on entry, then tighter in the middle, offering seamless, palate-staining blueberry and mulberry flavors. Shows impressive vivacity on the very long, violet- and licorice-accented finish.

Bright ruby. Sexy, highly complex bouquet of blackberry, blueberry, violet and fruitcake, with a smoky overtone. Weighty yet graceful, offering sweet dark berry flavors with candied violet and clove accents. Impressively fresh and focused for its volume, finishing with strong spiciness and excellent persistence.

Glass-staining ruby. Cool, complex aromas of blueberry, mulberry and dried flowers, complemented by a hint of minerality. Creamy and sweet, but with firm acidity leavening the wine's dark fruit preserve-like flavors. Wonderfully sappy and expansive zin, finishing with smooth tannins and excellent length. These vines are 93 years old, according to Don Hartford, and the wine was raised in two-thirds new oak.

Vivid ruby. Fragrant bouquet of raspberry, red currant, rose, white pepper and smoky, spicy oak, plus a whiff of star anise. Suave and sweet on entry, then tight and minerally in the middle, with lovely lift and perfume to the raspberry, floral pastille and herb flavors. An edge of acidity focuses the wine's sweetness and amplifies the impression of inner-mouth perfume. This has the structure to reward a few years of cellaring but it's pretty delicious now.

Opaque ruby. Explosive aromas of dark berry compote, cola, vanilla bean and incense, along with suggestions of exotic spices and licorice. Large-scaled, broad and impressively deep, with a liqueur-like quality to its boysenberry and mulberry flavors that's given bite by sneaky acidity. Finishes quite sappy and penetrating, with lingering notes of sweet cola and dark berries.

Outstanding '08s: Vibrant yet complex.

Ripe and jammy, but with great structure. Shows luscious aromas of boysenberry and blueberry, with layered, complex flavors of licorice, nutmeg and toasty mocha that linger on the finish. Drink now through 2015.

Inky ruby. Lively aromas of raspberry, cherry skin, lavender and minerals. Nervy, finely etched red fruit flavors gain sweetness and depth with air and pick up a bitter licorice quality. Suave, silky and pure, with enticing finishing clarity and spiciness.

The 2007 Zinfandel High Wire Vineyard exhibits more blue and black fruit characteristics along with notions of damp earth and spice, and a full-bodied, brilliant display of briery black fruits. This spicy, peppery Zinfandel is refreshing, full-bodied, and a total delight to drink. Drink this hedonistic effort over the next 5-6 years.

The deep ruby/purple-tinged 2007 Zinfandel Hartford Vineyard exhibits intense aromas of flowers, black raspberries, and cherries, a full-bodied, rich, layered, opulent style, and a hedonistic display of fireworks. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.

Intense, with Blackberry, lead pencil and cracked pepper aromas and tightly wound plum, bay leaf and licorice notes.

Full medium ruby. Blackberry, smoke, flint, espresso and a whiff of meat on the slightly reduced nose. Lush, layered and rich, with densely packed flavors of raspberry and roast coffee complicated by a saline nuance. Finishes with substantial broad tannins, liqueur-like notes of wild strawberry and raspberry, and a note of dark chocolate. Firm acids give this shape and grip.

Sleek and smooth, jam packed with solid fruit redolent of black cherry, plum, chocolate, cassis, coffee, herbs, licorice, spice and cola. Quite complex, elegant, and long on the finish. An excellent wine from a top-notch producer.

Good full ruby. Bramly blackberry, anise, bitter chocolate and mint on the nose. Very sweet and creamy; offers a much softer, more open texture than the Dina's and comes across as considerably less tannic. But this has more than enough juicy acidity and vinosity to frame its delicious fruit.