I was in the Shenandoah Valley AVA today to check out fruit and I stopped by this random winery. I saw some ancient vines out front and assumed they were Zinfandel but they are actually the Mission variety. Ive never had the variety before so I had to grab a bottle. I think the vines were planted in 1908. Yields looks miniscule. God bless them for keeping these around.
2011 Nine Gables Vineyards Mission Old Vine - This far surpasses my expectations. It has a creamy (almost lactic) aroma with roasted nuts, dried fig and floral perfume notes. The color ruby and just a step above a rose. It is very light and elegant with flavors that mirror the aromas. Its soft and rounded but it has enough acid to keep things decently vibrant. At this stage it has a hint of astringent tannins on the surprisingly long finish. In weight and texture this reminds me of a Jura Poulsard. Recommended. A good value at ~$20.