Ironstone Zinfandel
2009-09-08 10:50:00 One word about Ironstone Zinfandel, we loved it! Thanks to ZAP for leaving in our care!
#158 Zinfandel Madness in Bordeaux
2009-06-23 18:02:00 ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) join us in interviews about my favorite California wine.
Cellar No. 8 Zinfandel
2008-06-08 00:00:00 I was really looking forward to trying the Cellar No. 8 Zinfandel because of the fact that the Cellar No. 8 Cabernet Sauvignon was my top pick in my series on Cabs. I was hoping to find another great value wine here, but unfortunately this tasting leaves me searching. At first, ...
Parducci Mendocino Valley Zinfandel - Environmentally Friendly and Tasty!
2008-06-05 00:00:00 As someone whose been an environmentalist for over 20 years (admittedly more intensely at some times than others) I'm always skeptical of a company's environmental claims. I'm curious, but skeptical and I tend to be a rather harsh critic of environmental claims. Despite my skepticism, I am somewhat ...
Thin Zin
2008-05-27 13:50:00 A cool night here and there still calls for a hearty Zinfandel. Though I fear we have truly left those days behind now, as the AC had to come on last night lest we melt into the chairs or couches in our family room.The wine for the evening was a 2005 Alderbrook Old Barn Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley. The wine arrived in a club shipment, had a real cork closure, and clocked in at 15.3% alcohol by volume.On the nose I found blackberries, currants, spice, vanilla, and a slight hint of red fruit. The nose did not really translate to the mouth at all. I thought this would be a nice fruity Zinfandel based on the nose, but instead I found it to be tannic and thin. It gave way a bit to some blackberry and red fruit, but overally it was far too thin for me. The fruit was not balanced with the alcohol content.
By: Wannabe Wino
Cardinal Zin a Controvertial and Musical Zinfandel
2008-05-17 00:00:00 Cardinal Zin is the epitome of a Zin with a fun name and a fun label. In fact it's so much fun that in 2001 it was banned in Ohio! OK, it wasn't banned for being too much fun specifically. It was banned because Ohio's state code on wine labeling forbids "advertisement ...
Twisted Zin Zinfandel
2008-05-15 00:00:00 Twist the top off this and celebrate a cork-free bargain. Twisted Wines are a brand of wine that jumps out at you on the wine shelves. The marketing guy in me loves this brand. They have good packaging with a fun attitude, eye-popping shelf talkers and a well-designed website. And ...
Zinfandel Wine Event, Chicago - May 20
2008-05-04 21:49:00 I can't wait!!! I am so excited for the many winemakers who will be making an appearance in Chicago at ZAP's Zinfandel's Grand Tasting at The Mid-America Club. Zinfande-ls from many of California’s growing regions will be featured and certainly tasted! I can't wait to meet face to face with winemakers and winery owners from 30 ZAP member wineries. Of course, I will have many important questions answered such as: Where does Zinfandel grow best? What are the characteristics of Zinfandel grown in the different areas? How do you best match Zinfandel with food? But, most importantly I will be testing and tasting these great wines to see what stacks up the best. I will certainly share my findings with you after this event. But, if you can make it, please join me on May 20, from 6:30-8:30 PM to get many of your "need-to-know" Zinfandel questions answered. Tickets are available here.
By: Epicurista
Bye Bye Until the Fall
2008-05-02 13:47:00 ::cries:: This was my last bottle of David Coffaro wine until the fall when my futures case arrives. I wish I could have brought home more, but with the futures case and the 2 bottles I did bring home, I already bought 14 bottles which was more than double the number I bought at any other winery on our trip!The wine of the evening was a 2005 David Coffaro Zinfandel. I did bring home two bottles of this, but I had purchased one with the intent of giving it to my neighbors as a thank you gift for taking in our mail while we were gone...so it was the only bottle I had for my personal consumption! I purchased this wine at the winery for $26, it had a screw cap closure like all of David Coffaro's wines, and it clocked in at 15.2% alcohol by volume.On the nose I found vanilla, blackberry, cedar, oak, and espresso. It needed a bit of time to open up, so I was glad I unscrewed it a bit before dinner! In the mouth the wine showed black cherry and blackberry, with a little bit of spice a...
By: Wannabe Wino
Renwood Sierra Foothills Zinfandel
2008-05-01 00:00:00 The Sierra Foothills designation of Renwood Zinfandel, also know as "red label," is the entry-level Zinfandel from Renwood Winery. They have some more pricey Zins available, but they are mostly out of the range for Cheap Wine Ratings. The red label wines from Renwood are produced from their younger vines ...
Alexander Valley Vineyards Zinfandel
2008-04-25 00:00:00 The next series we're doing on Cheap Wine Ratings is California Zinfandel. At times Zinfandel is one of my favorite varietals but sometimes it ends up just way too sweet and jammy. Zinfandel is really a chameleon though, as its wine can have a variety of characteristics from jar-full-of-jam fruit, ...
Playing with Schmancy Glass Things
2008-04-01 13:55:00 I broke out both the fancy Riedel stemless glasses and this decanting/aerating contraption called the Soiree to drink this bottle of 2005 Mauritson Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley. Mostly because I wanted to play with them, as decanting a Zin is definitely not something I do on a regular basis (if at all.) I'll tell you more about the Soiree another day, but I picked it up for $20 at the DC International Wine and Food Festival and the idea is that the unique shape will perform the same task as decanting your wine!The Zinfandel clocked in at 15.1% alcohol by volume, had a real cork closure, and cost us around $25 in a club shipment.On the nose of the wine I found blackberry, spice, boysenberry, and cedar. The fruit was very fresh and just jumped out of the glass (perhaps due to the Soiree? I have another bottle of this, perhaps I'll taste it sans Soiree and compare my notes!). In the mouth, juicy blackberries, dark fruit, and pepper. The wine was spicy and a bit tannic on the ...
By: Wannabe Wino
Literally In the Saddle
2008-03-27 13:08:00 *Disclaimer-I received this bottle of wine as a sample from WineQ because I am a member of their Beta Club.The wine for the evening was a 2003 Sky Saddle Zinfandel from Twin Oaks Vineyard in Sonoma County. It clocked in at 14.5% alcohol by volume, had a real cork closure, and can be purchased from WineQ for $25.99.--heat had to blow offI would suggest opening this bottle a half hour or so before you want to drink it, it needed to open up just a touch before I really got the full aroma and flavor from it.On the nose the wine showed perfumed spices, lavendar, rosemary, other spice, earth, dark cherries, and blackberries. The nose had a floral characteristic and lots of fruit came shining through. I thought the aroma was really complex and layered for a Zinfandel, in addition to being quite enticing; it made me want to jump right in. The mouth followed through on the nose, complex and layered, the flavors kept coming. I found black cherry, blackberries, chocolate, spice, earth, le...
By: Wannabe Wino
Grower's Reserve
2008-03-19 14:26:00 Giving away a little bit of how behind I am on posts, we drank this 2004 Mauritson Grower's Reserve Zinfandel from the Dry Creek Valley on Super Bowl Sunday. This will also show that while in theory I like the concept of pairing food and wine, really I just like the drink what I like with what I like to eat, though I will occasionally comment on whether or not a pairing worked for a wine. Point in case: I served this Zin with a mish mosh of Super Bowl type appetizers- cheeses and crackers, various chips and dips, bourbon chicken, etc. It didn't work, but no one much cared as the wine was good and the appetizers yummy!The wine clocked in at 15.5% alcohol by volume, had a real cork closure, cost us $26.40 in a club shipment, and only 275 cases of it were made in a mix of grapes from 3 vineyards.My first note on the wine was that the juice was not as dark as I thought it would be, based on it being a Zin and all the other Zins I have consumed. On the nose I found pepper, jammy bla...
By: Wannabe Wino
WBW #43-Comfort Wines
2008-03-05 12:29:00 First off, a hearty congratulations to our host for this month, Joel, of Wine Life Today. He and his wife welcomed a brand new baby girl to their family last Thursday, so I can only imagine how hectic things are in their house at the moment! But wine life lover that he is, Joel is pushing forward as our host for this month!WBW was created well over three years ago now, by Lenn of Lenndevours. The idea is that once a month, bloggers and often non bloggers will come together around a wine theme and all drink a bottle that matches the theme criteria and post about it. Every month is hosted by a different blog, whose owner picks the theme and will do a round up of the posts after the event is over.This month, Joel set us to an interesting and thought provoking theme for me. He asked us to pick a wine that is a comfort wine for us. Something that we love to drink, that lets us relax, and perhaps invokes something in us that makes the wine and experience special.The theme required a bi...
By: Wannabe Wino
Good Value Zin
2008-03-01 16:03:00 The wine was a 2005 Alderbrook Old Vine Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley. It weighed in at 14.5% alcohol by volume, had a real cork closure, and cost $15.50!On the nose of the wine I found jammy dark fruit, blackberries, raspberries, vanilla, and smoke. In the mouth (either I was a little tipsy or I really thought the wine was fruity, because I wrote fruity 3 times in a row in my notes...) the wine was very fruity. Flavors of blackberries, raspberries, and currants dominated in the mouth.Overall, a fruity zinfandel with a bit of vanilla. Yum! Up there on the list of good Zins at this price point.
By: Wannabe Wino
A Guide to Zinfandel Wine Tasting
2008-03-01 14:50:00 Zinfandel has a somewhat funny history. It's always been thought that that the grape comes from southern Italy as well as the Primitivo grape. However is 2001 after many years of research using DNA profiling, it was found that the grape is identical to Crljenak which is a grape from Croatia. It's even thought that with some more research the first plants may have originated from either Greece or Albania.Of course, Zinfandel grapes are very much associated with the West Coast of the USA and ended up there in the mid-19th century at the same time as the Gold Rush. Despite Prohibition in America, Zinfandel continued production by being named sacramental wine.Zinfandel is a very popular wine and as a result is widely grown, it's full of flavour and character plus it's also very reasonably priced so you can afford to drink it everyday. However for some reason it's not so popular with wine snobs who prefer other wines like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Oh well, their loss is our gain!Al...
Barefoot Zinfandel California
2008-01-07 16:53:00 I can think of no known female creature you would wish to bed that would drink this. If you try to serve this to the boys, expect a knife in the back. read more
Wild Vines Strawberry White Zinfandel California
2008-01-04 19:43:00 Another wine from the rather large stable of Gallo, and in a nutshell, it?s a girlie wine. The wine is cloyingly sweet like several Zins I?ve tasted, but with something that at least tastes like strawberry added. Two curious notes: it?s the only wine I?ve ever seen with a nutrition label, and the list of ingredients says it doesn?t contain any juice. So were exactly did the strawberry taste come from? read more
The Weather Outside is Frightful
2008-01-04 14:02:00 But the wine is so delightful! This bottle of wine is a great winter red, big and fruity in all the right ways, and perfect to drink in front of the fire with some beef stew. Which is what we did. Winter has really arrived this week, it was 10 out yesterday with the wind chill!The wine was a 2005 Quivira Anderson Ranch Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley. It came in a club shipment, cost us $27.20, clocked in at 14.8% alcohol by volume, and had a real cork closure. On the nose I found blackberry, spice, cranberry sauce (yes, I do mean the kind you serve with turkey), and vanilla. In the mouth, the wine was tannic at first, but after we let it sit, the flavors came shining through. I got tart cherries, blackberries, and cranberries. Overall, the wine was really dark. The fruit appeared fresher and more vibrant as the wine opened up. A delicious bottle of wine.
By: Wannabe Wino
Bocce 2005 Red Zinfandel California
2007-12-30 20:36:00 I tried this wine while whiling away the hours at a local Austin watering hole, during their happy hour of course. While price was right, ($3 a glass) I kind of wish I had chosen something else. read more
More from the Rockpile
2007-12-21 13:57:00 Many of the wines that came in my most recent Mauritson club shipment were two things: one, they were single vineyard Zinfandels, and two, they were labeled under the name Rockpile Winery, which is still made by Mauritson. They were also more expensive than previous Mauritson offerings, making me wonder if Mauritson is becoming a"tiered" winery, offering their "special" selections under one name and keeping the more affordable line under another?This botttle was a 2005 Rockpile Winery Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Mauritson Zinfandel. It cost $27, had a real cork closure and weighed in at 15.6% alcohol by volume. I served it with beef straganoff, cheddar biscuits, and broccoli. A little too big for the meal, serve it with a steak, bqq, or maybe a marinated pork loin.On the nose I found vanilla, blackberry, and blueberry. The wine was very dark and the berries jumped out of the glass. In the mouth there were berries, brown sugar, vanilla, pie flavors, and specifically blueberries tha...
By: Wannabe Wino
Zin Zin Zin Petite Sirah
2007-12-19 12:55:00 In this bottle of wine, I found what Petite Sirah is often used for: a blending grape in Zinfandel to add some depth and balance. The bottle was a 2004 Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfadel, and it was blended with 18% Petite Sirah. I picked this bottle up at Ridge for $33, it clocked in at 14.5% alcohol by volume and had a real cork closure. On the nose I found vanilla, blackberries, oak, cherry syrup, and cedar. I believe that this bottle was my choice from Ridge, and I remember being really pleased with the nose on it then, as I am now. In the mouth, flavors of blackberry and pie dominated, with a bit of cherry thrown into the mix. Overall the wine was very fruity and fairly smooth, though it could probably hang out for another year or two, or maybe until this summer where it would make an excellent wine to have with bbq ribs.mmmmm, ribs.......mmmmmmm, wine......
By: Wannabe Wino
Rosenblum Zinfandel 2005
2007-12-15 17:03:00 Cork: Synthetic Name: Rosenblum Richard Sauret Vineyard Zinfandel Type: Zinfandel Vintage: 2005 Region: California Central Coast, Paso Robles Country: USA Producer: Richard Sauret Vineyard Price: $25.99 Purchased at: Wine.com Date: 11/09/07 Served With: Ala Carte Appearance: Looks pretty hearty for a Zin. Nice legs. Doesn’t look thin at all. Aroma: Now this smells excellent - classic American oak, black pepper and hints of vanilla. It even smells complex! Taste: Great complexity, spicy and smooth on top, finishes with baking spices. Comments: We really enjoyed this wine. The aroma and initial flavors were reminiscent of the Spectacular Shiraz though not quite as full bodied. Yet it was very robust for a Zinfandel! This is quite possibly the best non-old vines Zin that I’ve ever had, certainly as robust as any Zinfandel I’ve ever had. The bottle has a great “Pull Tab to Remember” feature on the back label. What a great way to conveniently remembe...
Mauritson Again!
2007-12-04 12:36:00 The bottle for the night was a 2005 Mauritson Westphal Vineyard Rockpile Zinfandel. I think we drink a lot of Zinfandel. This bottle came in my latest shipment from Mauritson, which we are working through at fairly quick pace, which is alarming, given that we won't see another shipment from them until next October. It had a real cork closure, cost us $27.60, and Matt tossed the bottle again before I could write down the alcohol content...perhaps that's why he looks a little sheepish in my picture!On the nose I found vanilla, blackberries, dark fruit, and oak. The wine had a sort of sweet perfume about it, which is different from what I'm used to with Zinfandels, I sort of expect an overall spicy aroma. In the mouth the wine showed blackberries, black cherry, and a bit of oak. Overall, is was smooth and balanced in the mouth.I served it with what is known around our house as "Liz's Mom's Chicken Casserole," a recipe I got in 2nd grade from a friend at the time whose name i...
By: Wannabe Wino
Mauritson Again!
2007-12-04 12:36:00 The bottle for the night was a 2005 Mauritson Westphal Vineyard Rockpile Zinfandel. I think we drink a lot of Zinfandel. This bottle came in my latest shipment from Mauritson, which we are working through at fairly quick pace, which is alarming, given that we won't see another shipment from them until next October. It had a real cork closure, cost us $27.60, and Matt tossed the bottle again before I could write down the alcohol content...perhaps that's why he looks a little sheepish in my picture!On the nose I found vanilla, blackberries, dark fruit, and oak. The wine had a sort of sweet perfume about it, which is different from what I'm used to with Zinfandels, I sort of expect an overall spicy aroma. In the mouth the wine showed blackberries, black cherry, and a bit of oak. Overall, is was smooth and balanced in the mouth.I served it with what is known around our house as "Liz's Mom's Chicken Casserole," a recipe I got in 2nd grade from a friend at the time whose name i...
By: Wannabe Wino
Old Vines
2007-11-30 01:44:00 I must admit, I'm never quite sure what "old vines" are. I know I've seen other bloggers debate this topic quite a bit. In this case the vines are all over 90 years old. (Sometimes I've seen "old vine" on 30 year old vines and that doesn't make me happy, 30 isn't old!)Our wine for the evening was a 2004 Old Vine Seghesio Zinfandel. We picked this up on our visit to Seghesio in April, one of our stops along our Sonoma trip. The bottle cost us $33, a bit more than we normally spend, but I really liked this bottle of wine at the tasting. It had a real cork closure and clocked in at 15.3% alcohol by volume.On the nose I found leather, raspberries, spice, and licorice.In the mouth the wine showed raspberries and blackberries and just a touch of the licorice. Overall the wine was smooth and balanced, though slightly sharp on the finish. It's drinking fairly well now, not sure if it will smooth out any more.We drank it on it's own, but my affinity for Zinfandel is to grill u...
By: Wannabe Wino
Old Vines
2007-11-30 01:44:00 I must admit, I'm never quite sure what "old vines" are. I know I've seen other bloggers debate this topic quite a bit. In this case the vines are all over 90 years old. (Sometimes I've seen "old vine" on 30 year old vines and that doesn't make me happy, 30 isn't old!)Our wine for the evening was a 2004 Old Vine Seghesio Zinfandel. We picked this up on our visit to Seghesio in April, one of our stops along our Sonoma trip. The bottle cost us $33, a bit more than we normally spend, but I really liked this bottle of wine at the tasting. It had a real cork closure and clocked in at 15.3% alcohol by volume.On the nose I found leather, raspberries, spice, and licorice.In the mouth the wine showed raspberries and blackberries and just a touch of the licorice. Overall the wine was smooth and balanced, though slightly sharp on the finish. It's drinking fairly well now, not sure if it will smooth out any more.We drank it on it's own, but my affinity for Zinfandel is to grill u...
By: Wannabe Wino
It's a Mauritson Month
2007-11-27 13:52:00 And time to root around in my cellar to see what's ready for drinking!In my last post about this wine, I said you should hold it for at least another year or so. Well, it's been 7 months and I just couldn't leave this one in the cellar anymore. We needed a less expensive bottle for drinking after dinner and this one fit the bill at $19.20. I believe this bottle came in a club shipment, though I honestly couldn't say for sure as we picked up a case at Mauritson on our very first trip over a year ago and have subsequently received 3 more shipments from them. Whatever the case, this bottle arrived before I started using CellarTracker. The wine was a 2003 Mauritson Grower's Reserve Zinfandel. It clocked in at 15.1% alcohol by volume and had a real cork closure.No alcohol on the nose this time. White pepper, blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, fresh blackberry on the nose. Definitely very prominent white pepper. More vanilla shows through as the wine airs. In the mouth, totally ...
By: Wannabe Wino
It's a Mauritson Month
2007-11-27 13:52:00 And time to root around in my cellar to see what's ready for drinking!In my last post about this wine, I said you should hold it for at least another year or so. Well, it's been 7 months and I just couldn't leave this one in the cellar anymore. We needed a less expensive bottle for drinking after dinner and this one fit the bill at $19.20. I believe this bottle came in a club shipment, though I honestly couldn't say for sure as we picked up a case at Mauritson on our very first trip over a year ago and have subsequently received 3 more shipments from them. Whatever the case, this bottle arrived before I started using CellarTracker. The wine was a 2003 Mauritson Grower's Reserve Zinfandel. It clocked in at 15.1% alcohol by volume and had a real cork closure.No alcohol on the nose this time. White pepper, blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, fresh blackberry on the nose. Definitely very prominent white pepper. More vanilla shows through as the wine airs. In the mouth, totally ...
By: Wannabe Wino
Chessman Old Vine Zinfandel 2005 Reserve
2007-11-18 16:35:00 Cork:Authentic Name: Chessman Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel Reserve Type: Zinfandel Vintage: 2005 Region: Paso Robles Country: USA Producer: Chessman Vineyards Price: $13.99 Purchased at: Cheers Liquormart Date: 11/18/07 Served With: Chili & Cornbread Appearance: Dark & rich, deeper in color than most Zins Aroma: A bit of blackberry and oak on the nose Taste: Very mellow with a subdued fruit start, small hints of vanilla and a lingering, ...
Getting Things Shaking
2007-11-04 12:44:00 This bottle of 2005 Earthquake Zin Zinfandel from Lodi came courtesy of my friend Lindsay as part of my birthday present earlier this year. With the temperatures finally settling into cold here (I miss fall, we seem to have gone straight from summer to winter....) it's time to break out the big reds. The wine had a real cork closure and clocked in at 15.9% alcohol by volume.On the nose I found blackberries, raisins, black currants, other dark fruit, and spiced cedar. In the mouth there were blackberries, black currants, a bit of spice and some other dark fruits.Overall the wine was fruity, big, and dark. Apparently I thought it was a REALLY big wine because I wrote and underlined BIG 3 or 4 times in my notes. I served the wine with ravioli, tomato sauce and fresh parmesan. Not a great match for the dinner, the acidity of the tomato sauce didn't do any justice to the wine.
By: Wannabe Wino
Grgich Hills 2004 Zinfandel
2007-10-26 18:01:00 The aroma of spicy, peppery raisins soaked in Dr. Pepper, but in a good way. This is classic, peppery California zinfandel, yet the blue fruits of the 7% petit sirah add an even greater sense of richness. The mid-palate isn’t nearly as sweet as the nose suggests, likely the result of substantial tannins that need ...
By: Under the Glass
Fresh and Fruity
2007-10-23 13:31:00 The wine of the night was a 2001 Yoakim Bridge Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley. The bottle cost us $33 at the vineyard, clocked in at 14.5% alcohol by volume, and had a real cork closure. We visited Yoakim Bridge on our last trip to CA and it was one of our favorite stops. The owners were so friendly, they offered us meatballs to eat and even sent a personal email thanking us for visiting and purchasing wine when we got home.The first thing I notice about the wine were the fresh berries jumping out of the glass from afar! It smelled delicious with raspberries, blackberries, and vanilla cream on the nose with hints of chocolate and pepper. The nose was very fruit foward.The fruit follows through in the mouth and is very fresh on the palate. There were raspberries and other red fruit. The mouthfeel was lighter than I expected.Overall, this was a really delicious bottle of wine and I am happy we have another bottle of it hanging around. I served the wine with steak and raspberr...
By: Wannabe Wino
Phantom 2004 Sirah Zinfandel Blend
2007-10-02 03:55:00 54% Petite Sirah43% Old Vine Zinfandel3% MourvedreCalifornia - V.2004Will most definitely drink again.Supposedly, this wine is only found in retail stores once a year - just in time for Halloween. Then it's gone again and hard to get your hands on. I got the last bottle in the store I was at. They have more on order but it's not due in for a couple more weeks.I was beginning to think 2007 was going to end without my tasting a most excellent wine. That's when the "phantom" came in. Awesome. Deep, deep ruby color. The bouquet was heavy smokey fruit - not sweet. While there was almost a burst of fruit flavor initially, it quickly became dry and smokey followed by an outstanding mineral and earth finish.I preferred this wine on it's own. The night we had it we had a light leftover and salad menu so I didn't try to pair. It is recommended to serve with a hearty winter dish. The Guy and I consumed the bottle and tonight, as I write, I long for more. I keep going back to smell the emp...
It finally dawned on me
2007-09-11 13:49:00 We've been drinking many repeats in the last few weeks of wines that we had first consumed 6 months to a year ago. I've written about some of them where I felt they could use an update and have ignored others where I didn't find anything worth sharing. It just occurred to me as I went to write up this wine, a bottle I first reported on over 8 months ago in this post, that the reason I've been having repeats recently is that I haven't gotten any new wine shipments for nearly 4 months!The wine is a 2003 Reserve Wilson Zinfandel. We picked this bottle up last summer at Wilson Winery for $22, it had a real cork closure and clocked in at 16% alcohol by volume. Again I found the alcohol of this one to be off-putting. We couldn't drink it with our dinner because the heat was too much. It took over an hour for the alcohol to blow off, but it revealed a wine with the tannins of last time fairly smoothed out and I think this wine is at a good drinking point, though I would suggest...
By: Wannabe Wino
More 6 Months Later
2007-09-04 13:45:00 We drank our very last bottle of 2005 Fritz Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. I'm quite sad. This was a great bottle of wine that cost us $25, rang in at 14.2% alcohol by volume, and had a real cork closure. We last drank this bottle about 6 months ago in early February. You can read that review here. I'm currently dipping into wines we drank over 6 months ago to see if they've changed in that time.This time, I served the wine with pepperoni pizza (from Pizza Hut, I was not in a cooking mood for once!). A good match to the pizza sauce and spicy pepperoni.On the nose of the wine I found, currants, spice, sweet red licorice, and raspberries. In the mouth I found red raspberries, blackberries, and smoky vanilla. The fruit tastes really fresh. The heat I found last time seems to be gone.Unfortunately, we aren't getting wine from Fritz anymore. As much as I love the wines, they got a bit too expensive as they won some awards recently. Alas, perhaps when I win the lotto ;)
By: Wannabe Wino
Reaching New Heights
2007-08-30 14:22:00 At 16.9% alcohol by volume, this wine is the most alcoholic (besides a port) that I can ever recall drinking. Thankfully, it didn't seem over-extracted or have any of the qualities I tend to see in some overly-alcoholic wines.The wine was a Mazzocco 2004 Zinfandel from Alexander Valley out of Stone Ranch Vineyard. It cost $24 at the winery and had a real cork closure.On the nose I found spices, cedar, oak, and blackberries. The spice was really very pungent and I know I've come across the aroma before, but I can't place it. It triggers a memory, but I can't put my finger on exactly what it is. In the mouth the fruit was incredibly fresh and dark. There were blackberries and raspberries and a bit of spicy cedar in the mouth.
By: Wannabe Wino
Father of The Vine?
2007-08-30 10:38:00 If he were still alive, today would be the 195th birthday of Agoston Haraszthy de Mokcsa (pictured, left). A Hungarian immigrant, Haraszthy was invited to the United States in 1840 by a group of Democrats that included Daniel Webster. Believed by some to be the father of the California wine industry, Haraszthy did much to ... Related Entries: Topshop Stella Vine Crazy Girl Vest: Love It or Hate It?Cardiospermum gel for eczemaMother and father would be so proud. Father would…Drama In Liz Hurley’s Life Tags: history wine California - Dieting Zinfandel Agoston Haraszthy
Birds of a Feather
2007-08-20 14:42:00 And a very round-a-bout way to get a bottle of wine back to Virginia. I picked this bottle up on my work trip in New Orleans. One of my coworkers and I were going to celebrate my birthday a little more, but after gorging ourselves at the RedFish Grill on Bourban Street we simply couldn't fit even a drop in our stomachs. So the bottle got stashed in my suitcase to be checked through on the plane. And thus arrived this $13.99 bottle of 2004 Sonoma County Ravenswood Zinfandel.On the nose I found blackberries, oak, spices, and alcohol. I'm not sure this bottle was ready to drink. The alcohol needed quite a bit of time to blow off the aroma of the wine. In the mouth I would describe the wine as hot. After some time I found blackberries, black currants, and oak. Comparatively, this was a low alcohol Zinfandel, coming in at only 14.5%. So I'm not sure where all the heat on this one came from, but boy was it there. Wait to drink it or decant it.I served this with four cheese rav...
By: Wannabe Wino
On the Ridge
2007-07-27 14:55:00 Although our weather has been admittedly hot, we have had a cool(er) streak for the last week. I jumped at the chance to dig into some more of my red wines to mix things up around here a bit. I try my best to drink a variety of wines to report on for everyone!The bottle I picked was a 2004 Ridge York Creek Zinfandel. We picked this bottle up on our April trip out to the Sonoma are when we visited the winery. The bottle cost $28, had a real cork closure, and contained 13% Petite Sirah.On the nose I found the elements of a great dessert. Vanilla, chocolate and blueberries dominated, with a hint of anise rounding out the aroma. In mouth the wine was silky smooth; the bottle disappeared before I knew it. I got blackberries, blueberries, and a peppery kick. Overall the fruit tasted very fresh.I served it with a perfect summer meal: burgers on the grill, pasta salad, and potato salad. This seemed like a very food friendly Zinfandel. I've got another bottle clanging around and I...
By: Wannabe Wino
Getting Higher
2007-07-25 23:32:00 Sheesh, the wine of the evening clocked in at 16.1% alcohol by volume! I almost didn't serve it with dinner because we had to go to work the next day and I was a bit leery over the alcohol content. But being the good wino that I am, and for the sake of the blog, of course, I pressed on and found this to be an excellent bottle of wine.The wine was a 2005 Felta Creek De la Montanya Zinfandel that came in a club shipment, had a real cork closure and cost $20.80.On the nose I found blackberries, spice, black currants, and old leather. Yes, old worn in leather. In the mouth there were peppery spices, blackberries, black cherries, and plums.The wine had a spicy kick which almost completely disappeared after an hour sitting out. Overall, this was rounder than most Zinfandels I have had, and despite the high alcohol content, really not overwhelming. The fruits were actually smooth and soft and the wine had excellent flavors after being allowed to sit out.I served this one with a ste...
By: Wannabe Wino
7 months later
2007-07-21 17:28:00 I'm starting to go back now and taste some wines that I tried 7-8 months ago and have more of in my collection to see how they are coming along. The bottle we drank this time was a 2004 Hop Kiln Old Windmill Zinfandel, weighing in at 14.2% alcohol by volume, having a real cork closure and costing us $20 at the winery.We last tasted Dec. 7, 2006, so it's been 7 + months for this one to sit in my cellar and age. Last time I said let it hang around for a while longer to let the alcohol dissipate.While the heavy alcohol scent was not nearly as apparent this time, the flavors in the glass were still wound tight and needs to sit out before they unwind to be distinguishable beyond "dark fruit."After a bit, I found currants, raisins, dark cherry, spices, cloves, and leather on the nose. In the mouth I was gettingcherries, black currants, and spices. The wine is still slightly tannic, but a lot smoother than the last time. I think I have another bottle or 2 left, I'll definitely set ...
By: Wannabe Wino
Easily Confused
2007-07-06 20:02:00 I thought this wine, was the same Bella Zinfandel I've already reviewed and I was going to review it again since it's been 6 months or so since I drank it. However, I was wrong. As I went back to look at my old post, I realized the labels are slightly different and this is a completely different Zinfandel.What I have here is a Bella Big River Ranch 2004 Alexander Valley Zinfandel. And I'd been avoiding drinking it because I thought I already reviewed it! Apparently it is sold out through the winery, but when we got it, it cost $34 minus a club discount, weighs in at 15% alcohol by volume and had a real cork closure.On the nose there were gobs of dark fruit. Blackberries and black cherries with a hint of spices, vanilla and a cedar hope chest, along with black currants showing later. In the mouth the wine was quite tannic. I suggest decanting or holding off for a few years on this one. After the wine sat out, the flavors smoothed and the air certainly helped enhance the fruit, sho...
By: Wannabe Wino
Four Vines Biker Zinfandel
2007-06-19 00:27:00 "The Biker"2004Paso Robles, California"Wine comes in at the mouth and love comes in at the eye;That's all we know for truthBefore we grow old and die.I lift my glass to my mouth, I look at you and sigh."William Butler YeatsWill definitely drink again.I purchased this "once-a-month" wine (cost wise) for Father's Day dinner (the same dinner that is mentioned below with The Liberty School Chardonnay). It was good on its own and went well with aged cheddar cheese and Carr wheat crackers before dinner. The wine became more peppery following the crackers and cheese, and the cheese became more cheddar-y. I enjoyed it with the grilled pork loin as well. Again, it was spicey but it brought out the taste of the marinade (which had a bit of mint as well as many other flavors, but the Zin brought out the mint). The finish was long and satisfying. Overall, a good buy, even though higher than I normally try to spend.8 out of 10A whopping 15% alc. by vol. (the Guy liked that part and asked for m...
Q-ing Up!
2007-06-15 19:59:00 That's right folks, here I am, drinking from my WineQ again. The wines arrive, I drink them.....it's a vicious cycle ;) The night's wine was the 2004 Lava Cap Reserve Zinfandel. Lava Cap hails from El Dorado, California.The wine weighed in at 15.6% alcohol, cost me $19.99 (free shipping!), and had a real cork closure.My photography skills are not fabulous, but I hope you can gather the translucent ruby color that this wine presented in the glass. I found it very pretty to look at.The alcohol on the nose was a bit strong, but blew off to reveal black currants, blackberries, spices...nutmeg and cloves I believe and oak. In the mouth there were big dark berries, with hints of the spices that came through on the nose. It also had an earthy quality. However, I wouldn't describe this as a full-bodied wine, despite the high alcohol. Overall the wine was a bit tannic and left a spicy finish in the mouth.
By: Wannabe Wino
Gary Farrell 2003 Zinfandel Maple Vineyard Tina?s Block
2007-06-08 21:19:00 Classic aromas of peppercorns and crushed, ripe red berry fruit, followed by a mid-palate rich with the flavors of figs and dark berries. Despite all this richness and depth, though, it’s all held in check by a lovely texture. It’s a big wine, sure, but totally within reason. Call it a zinfandel for connoisseurs.
By: Under the Glass
Joel Gott Zinfandel
2007-05-28 20:22:00 The opportune time for an aging wine; so delicate.I dream of pulling that cork; yet fearful.For now I am so happy to have it close by me; though it remains unopened.I watch it mature; admiringly.I dream of its substance; hopeful.I think about it; feel my heart grin.And settle for now with 2005 Joel Gott Dillian Ranch Zin.Joel GottZinfandelAmador CountyThis wine perplexes me. I taste-tested it one night and absolutely hands-down LOVED it. I'd give it an 8.25 that evening. On my way home from work, I'd had no food for awhile to alter my taste. I would have bought it that night, but the price tag (for me) is a once-a-month selection.Fast forward to this weekend. It was The Guy's b'day Saturday and I knew in the back of my mind I was going to purchase this zin for the occasion. I didn't tell him it was out of the usual "cheap" category and we had it with grilled steak and chicken and grilled red, yellow and orange peppers with sweet onion. I was completely disappointed. It tasted l...
Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel
2007-05-19 02:27:00 Was it you, or was it me?I felt ugly, nervous - I needed to leave.There was a wall I couldn't see.I just want everything to again be so fine;I long for cherry, chocolate and anise,Give me Paso Robles wine.2005Appellation SeriesPaso RoblesI think I've mentioned before that Uncle Bob introduced me first to Rosenblum Cellars on one of our fine Thanksgiving gatherings. I have revisited various Rosenblum Cellars labels a few times since, but never with that initial fondness. I caught another glimpse of it tonight. Of course, I did spend a little more to get it and that's not supposed to be the focus of this blog. But I so needed it! First, I must say, I was looking for something entirely different.I was finally cooking again from my Wine Lover's Diet book (I misplaced the book for the last few weeks and found it this evening - can you believe it was on my little black, wrought iron cookbook shelf???). I made "Soy-Glazed Salmon" and it called for a Syrah (for recipe see www.cheznatali...
Quivira 2004 Zinfandel
2007-05-18 20:34:00 This bottle arrived in the mail in our latest Quivira club shipment (by the way, how did I not learn about wine by mail before last summer??). The wine was a 2004 Dry Creek Valley Wine Creek Ranch Quivira Zinfandel. It cost $25.50 after a discount, had a real cork closure and clocked in at 14.4% alcohol by volume.On the nose I found blackberries, raspberries, dark cherries and undercurrents of currants (yeah, I know, poor choice of words, give me a break, it's been a long week already and it's only Tuesday). In the mouth I found raspberries, red fruit and cracked pepper.In the mouth the wine had quite a bit of juicy fruit mid-palate and was a bit tannic towards the finish. I think that overall the wine was fairly young and could easily sit on my shelf for at least another year, probably a bit longer than that as well. I served the wine with my steak and risotto dish, with the sauce made from raspberry jam instead of red currant jam as I was out of red currant jam and didn't reali...
By: Wannabe Wino
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