Notes For Zinfandel Tasting, 11/30/12

NCWC ZINFANDEL TASTING 11/30/12

GLORY DAYS 2010 LODI ZINFANDEL
Midway between the Sierra Foothills and San Francisco Bay Delta, Lodi is home to a number of excellent Zinfandel vineyards, including those farmed for decades by the Van Ruiten family. Their Glory Days bottling shows how great the value can be here. It has a dark rich color and plenty of minerality, loads of bright, savory, raspberry and black currant fruit, plus hints of pepper. 87 points Bill. $7.97

VAN RUITEN 2010 OLD VINES LODI ZINFANDEL
For this bottling, the Zinfandel fruit was hand selected from the first vineyard John Van Ruiten planted over 50 years ago and is among the family’s most prized grapes. The 2010 Old Vine Zinfandel is packed full of blackberry, cherry and blueberry jam with barrel flavors contributing aromas of coffee, cedar, and finishing with anise. Very tasty! 88 points Tobin Bros. $13.97

EASTON 2010 AMADOR ZINFANDEL
Amador lies in the Sierra Foothills and is well known for its Zinfandel vineyards, some of which date to the 1850’s. This one from Easton is “crisp and elegant, with floral cherry and spice aromas and lively, pure raspberry, white pepper and loam flavors that linger toward light tannins.” It boasts a surprising amount of structure and depth for this price point. 91 points Wine Enthusiast. $13.97

CALCAREOUS TWISTED SISTERS 2010 PASO ROBLES ZINFANDEL
Now to Paso Robles, which of course has been throwing delicious Zins into the world for years now. This one starts off with “strong aromas of plum and caramelized brown sugar. The concentrated mouthfeel starts with ripe cherries and blackberry which evolves into pomegranate and chocolate as the tannins interact with the heavy fruit in the mid palate. The high level of dark fruit flavors coating the mouth leads to a rich finish, begging to be chased down by BBQ meats.” $15.97

QUIVIRA 2010 DRY CREEK ZINFANDEL
Dry Creek is a Sonoma Valley appellation that is yet another fine source of Zin. This one from Quivira is “compact and classical, holding “red fruit and cracked black peppercorn spice within the darker tones of its tannins. The structure is firm but doesn’t add weight, strengthening the spice through the finish. This has the fortitude to age with grace,” or decant it now for pulled pork or barbecue. 92 points Wine & Spirits. $19.97

OAKVILLE WINERY 2010 NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL
In Napa Valley, Cab is king, of course. But don’t count out the Zins! Wine Enthusiast made this one an Editor’s Choice: “One of the best Zins on the market, this is rich, showing gorgeous flavors of black berries, raspberries and cola, with notes of cured meat, black pepper and sandalwood. The tannins are pure Oakville – refined and complex. Only 500 cases produced.” 93 points Wine Enthusiast. $21.97

HENDRY BLOCK 28 2009 NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL
“This beauty begins with an intense plum and jammy fig signature typical of Block 28 spice. On the palate it’s full of dark berries, spice, espresso beans and gorgeous cocoa. A velvety mouthfeel develops with exposure to oxygen, and it finishes with enticing notes of spice and cocoa powder. The silky smooth texture is impressive now and will pair nicely with medium-rich to rich meaty dishes that are grilled, braised, or cooked in a wood-burning oven.” 95 points Wine Insiders. $27.97