In California, the term "old vines" commonly refers to vines that are at least 50 years old.

Among the oldest and most prestigious of these are gnarled and twisted zinfandel vines planted between the Gold Rush era of the 1850s and World War II, which have outlived the original farmers who planted and cared for them.

Directly influenced by bright, warm sunshine during the day and cool breezes that blow off the Delta in the evening, the Lodi appellation has a rich history, serving as a noteworthy region of hearty old zinfandel vines.

Steve Felten knows the old vine tradition very well. His family has been growing zinfandel grapes in the region for five generations. In 1998, Steve and wife Lori established Klinker Brick, a premium winery named after the colorful style of bricks used to craft the historic buildings in the greater Lodi area.

Today, the Feltens farm over 100 acres of old vine zinfandel grapes. "Over the years, I've quickly discovered that no two Zinfandels are exactly alike," said Steve. "Instead, each one has its own profile, its own flavor components, and its own attitude based on where the vines were grown."

The latest release from the winery, the Klinker Brick 2005 "Old Vines" Zinfandel ($17*), is a spectacular full-bodied wine made with fruit from nine separate lots grown in vineyards primarily planted in the classic Mokelumne River and Clement Hills subzones of the greater Lodi appellation. The vintage vines in these special blocks range in age from 58 to 105 years of age.

In Lodi, the 2005 vintage was a long, extended harvest, which allowed each grape cluster to develop a nice balance of sugar, acidity and tannins with plenty of structure. The end result is a bold, full-bodied wine with intensive fruit flavors of ripe raspberry, dark plum, cherry, pepper, allspice, cloves, tobacco and a nice amount of elegance on the finish.

Along with this tasty new release, the winery also makes a higher priced wine, the 2005 Old Ghost Zinfandel ($37), made with fruit from vines 85 years or older that commonly average less than a half-ton per acre. When asked to compare the two wines, Steve is straight and to the point: "One is pure and expressive, the other is just plain spooky!"

Which brings us to the perfect pairing: 2007's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet. Based in the dark streets of London in 1785, the story follows the main character, Benjamin Barker a.k.a. Sweeney Todd (Johnny Deep), a bitter man obsessed with getting revenge after losing his wife to the groping hands of the evil and diabolic Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman).

This comical adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's acclaimed musical is further lifted by performances by Helena Bonham Carter as the sinister meat pie maker Mrs. Lovett, Sacha Baron Cohen as the silly vaudeville-style barber Adolfo Pirelli and the masterful direction of Tim Burton.

*Prices quoted in U.S. dollars