As any good winemaker will tell you, great wine starts on the vine. And no one is a bigger proponent of the philosophy than California’s William ‘Bill’ Knuttel. That’s why, to make his lush and layered Allegiance Zinfandel, he sourced grapes from Biglieri Vineyards, an ideally situated Sonoma site he’s been working with for the last two decades.

The vineyard lies at the very southern end of Dry Creek Valley, not far from where Dry Creek breaks free from the Russian River, shepherding cool coastal fog and marine air to the otherwise hot area. This enables the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, which is especially important to the vines at Biglieri.

You see, planted back in 1963, these are old and gnarled head-trained beauties that need all the help they can get. Also known as “goblet vines,” head-trained vines are pruned so their arms grow in outward curves, like a goblet or a wine glass. They’re free-standing, brawny and unwavering, not unlike an elderly statesman. The shape creates a dense leaf canopy that’s incredibly difficult to work with (again, similar to an elderly statesman), requiring highly skilled, time-intensive management. But, for those willing to commit, yields equally incredible, high-quality fruit.

If you consider this alongside the advanced age of Biglieri Vinerd’s plantings—which creates highly concentrated grapes with greater depth of flavor—we’re talking an excellent starting point for Bill’s Zinfandel.

Back at the winery, the hand-harvested grapes are meticulously sorted and destemmed; the wine is fermented in stainless steel and then aged almost two years in fine French oak. By the time you pour a glass, the wine is a total knockout: smooth and approachable, yet structured by firm tannins and packed with flavors of blackberry, black cherry, cedar-like spice and vanilla.

Delicious all on its own, it would also match well with earthy rosemary and mushroom polenta, or a nice fennel sausage, says Bill. However you choose to enjoy it, the wine will surely inspire a newfound allegiance to well-made American juice.

Supplies are limited—order soon.