After a 2 day hiatus the 12 Days of Zin continues. Today’s stop during the 12 Days of Zin involves a legendary name in Napa Valley Wine. Tofanelli is a name that wine lovers have seen on bottles for many years. Their reputation as a grower precedes them. Wineries such as Duckhorn, Turley & Spottswoode to name a few have been sourcing premium fruit for vineyard designate wines from the Tofanelli vineyard for many years. In addition to dry famed, organic fruit that they sell to other producers, Tofanelli also makes a limited amount if wine under the Tofanelli Family Vineyard label. Charbono and Zinfandel are their focus. Today I’ll look at consecutive vintages of their Zinfandel.

The 2005 Tofanelli Family Vineyard Zinfandel is 100% varietal. The wine was aged in French oak for 16 months. 20% of the barrels were new with the balance being between 2 and 4 years old. A mere 499 cases of this Zinfandel were produced and the suggested retail price is $36.

Plum, dark berry and vanilla fill the nose of this wine. From the very first sip zest of orange peel and mocha notes fill the palate. The mid-palate is rich, full and intense loaded with berry fruit, earth and persistent mocha notes. The finish is long and layered with cherry, mineral notes and continued hints of earth. The length is long enough to be noteworthy and impressive. This is a pretty big Zin full of robust flavors. It’s balanced by good acidity and stays in check. It’s drinking well now but I’d expect it to improve over the next couple of years and drink well for another 5 or so after that.

The 2006 Tofanelli Family Vineyard Zinfandel is 96% Estate Zinfandel and 4% Estate Petite Sirah. The vines for this wine range in age from 21 years (a small percentage) to 78 years old (the majority). The wine was aged in 20% new French oak barrels. 466 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price is $36.

Not surprisingly the 2006 is a bit tighter and more reticent out of the bottle than the 2005. While the 2005 benefited from decanting and really opened up wide, the 2006 really needs the air at this point. Once it has had that opportunity to breathe it shows all the hallmarks and characteristics of the 2005. The orange zest and mocha notes that are so impressive in the 2005 may in fact be a bit more pronounced in the 2006. The finish also features a bit more spice. Once again it’s a persistent and impressively long ending to a very enjoyable and layered effort.

What stands out to me more than anything about these two vintages of Zinfandel from Tofanelli is the consistency of style and quality. It’s easy to see how a year from now the 2006 will be even closer in profile to what the 2005 is right now. Well made, consistent Zinfandel from Estate fruit that can age is often a wonderful revelation. These two examples from Tofanelli are that.

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Lodi is the first stop today during The 12 Days of Zin. The Lodi appellation is well known amongst Zin lovers as the source of a multitude of well known Zinfandels. Many of the ones originating from this area are from the bigger, jammier side of the varietal. The Earthquake label is part of the MIchael David Family of Wines. Under this sub-label they make four varietal wines.

The 2006 Earthquake Zinfandel from Michael David Family of Wines has small amounts of Petite Sirah and Syrah blended in. The wine was aged in American oak for 12 months. The suggested retail price for this wine is $28.

This Zinfandel isn’t for the faint of heart or those looking for a subtle wine. Earthquake Zin is anything but. Plum, cinnamon, and mulled berry fruit notes fill the nose. Throughout the mid-palate its a rich opulent, jam-filled, expressive example of Zinfandel. Black Raspberry and vanilla notes emerge throughout the palate and lead to some pie crust notes on the finish along with mocha as well as lingering spice and plum. This is a big wine, yet it’s fairly smooth and goes down incredibly easily.

If you like your Zins big, bold and full of jam flavors, Earthquake Zin might just be what you’re looking for. It manages to have a fair amount of acidity and drinks well on its own as well as paired with substantial foods.

What I like about Earthquake Zin and the other Michael David Wines is their consistency. Having had many of them over a number of years I find that they deliver a solid and representative product time after time.

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During the 12 Days of Zin I’m looking at a wide array of wine from all sorts of producers, big, small and everywhere in between. Additionally some of them have been around a long time and some of them not. Today I’m looking at Truett-Hurst Winery. They are a new Biodynamic Farm and Winery in Dry Creek Valley. They’ve planted themselves on 24 acres and in addition to vines they will have gardens, livestock and more. While they get that up and running they’ve released wines that have been made from purchased fruit. I’m looking at three of their brand new Zinfandel releases.

First up is the Truett-Hurst 2006 Three Vineyards Zinfandel. The fruit for this wine was sourced from three vineyards, two in Dry Creek and one in Russian River. 97% of wine is Zinfandel with 3% Petite Sirah blended in. This offering spent 12 months in a combination of French and American oak. 2,674 cases of this Zin were made and the suggested retail price is $24.99.

The Three Rivers Zinfandel has a huge nose of berry fruit, underscored by spice notes. From the first sip through the palate a solid core of strawberry, red raspberry and cherry bursts out and coats your taste buds. The cherry notes carry the most prominently from the mid-palate through to the finish which also has excellent white pepper notes and earth that becomes more prominent as the wine opens up. This offering has excellent acidity and is nicely structured. While it has some jam fruit elements it’s a well balanced and proportioned wine built to compliment food. The small dollop of Petite Sirah adds to the structure and enhances the darker fruit components.

Today’s second Zinfandel from Truett-Hurst Winery is the 2006 Red Rooster. This wine is 100% Zinfandel and all Dry Creek Valley fruit. It was aged in French and American oak for 14 months. 2,084 cases of this Zin were made and the suggested retail price is $28.99

Plum and blackberry jam fill the nose of this wine. From the first sip forward a tone of blackberry fruit fills this selections palate along with cracked black pepper. The mid-palate has some lovely black tea notes that linger, teasing the tongue and carrying through to the finish which is filled with mineral notes, additional pepper and a touch of bramble. This wine is rich, luscious and mouth-filling throughout. Balance is once again an appropriate descriptor as this Zin keeps its flavors nicely in check. This will pair beautifully with a hangar steak or other grilled meats.

The third and final wine I’m looking at today from Truett-Hurst is the 2006 Rattler Rock Zinfandel. This offering is 100% varietal and all Russian River Valley fruit. The Rattler Rock Zin spent 14 months in a combination of French and American oak. 984 cases of this selection were produced and the suggested retail price is $28.99.

Red raspberry, plum and white pepper are the chief components of a big, expressive nose. Taking the first sip I was hit with additional raspberry which was also joined by cherry and subtle but present vanilla notes. Spice fills the mid-palate with nutmeg and cardamom emerging the most prominently as they glide over the solid core of fruit. The finish features earth and bramble along with black pepper and a touch of sour cherry. In comparison to the other two wines this has a few more layers and a more evident structure. I’d expect this one to age nicely and drink well for the next 3-5 years.

All three Zins from Treutt-Hurst Winery are notable. They each have their own strengths and shining characteristics. However, Balance and proportion are things they share the most prominently. These are well made wines, ready to drink now and accompany an excellent meal. That said, their style, balance and structure suggest that each of them will drink well for a number of years. It’s particularly impressive to see results like these from a brand new operation such as Truett-Hurst Winery. It bodes well for the other wines they have recently released as well was the style of wine they will be producing on a go forward basis. These are worth making an extra effort to seek out.

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Today’s stop for the 12 Days of Zin is Dry Creek Valley and the winery that bears its name. Dry Creek Vineyard in Sonoma is a venerable part of Sonoma County’s wine history. For over 35 years they’ve been at the forefront of positive change and innovation in the wine industry. This family owned winery produces a bevy of varietals. Sauvignon Blanc is perhaps the one they are best known for, with Zinfandel likely ranking a close second. Their association with Zin includes being the first winery to coin the term “old vines.” Today I’ll look at two of their current Zinfandel releases.

The 2006 Heritage Zinfandel is 88% varietal and 12% Petite Sirah, all from Sonoma County. This Zinfandel spent 10 months in American and French oak, 36% of it being new. Just fewer than 12,000 cases of this offering were produced and the suggested retail price is $17.

Upon opening and tasting this wine the first thing I found is that a nice solid 45 minutes in the decanter is hugely helpful. After it opens up though, it’s a very expressive wine. Plum and Blackberry notes fill the nose. The palate is loaded with lots of jammy berry fruit underscored by mocha and spice characteristics. The finish has just short of an avalanche of white pepper along with light but emerging earth characteristics, bakers chocolate notes and some dusty bramble. This is a well balanced Zinfandel, that’s a fine example of what the varietal can be in Sonoma County. The Petite Sirah blended in adds deep, dark notes and some structure.

The 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel is 90% varietal and 10% Petite Sirah. All of the fruit is from Dry Creek Valley vines that average over 80 years of age. This wine spent 18 months in French oak, 57% of it new. The suggested retail price for this wine is $28.

While the 2005 Old Vines Zinfandel is a bit more immediately accessible than the 2005 Heritage Zin, decanting is still hugely beneficial for maximum pleasure. Once it fully opens up, eucalyptus, dust and dark berry fruit fill the nose. From the very first sip cherry notes are prominent and carry through the palate. A multitude of spice notes including white pepper, nutmeg and others are also prominent. Earth, continued spice, dust, bramble and mocha notes are part of a lengthy pronounced finish. This wine is very well balanced with tremendous acidity. The 3 years of age on this Zinfandel have helped it come together into a nicely proportioned package. While it’s drinking well now it should age effortlessly for five to 8 years. This is a classic example of Dry Creek Zin.

Both of these Zinfandels from Dry Creek Vineyard are well made and good values within their respective price range. Over the years I have thought of Dry Creek Vineyard as a dependable producer of well made wine. These two Zinfandels simply underscore that idea.

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The 12 Days of Zin continues today with a stop in Paso Robles. A few months back when I was looking at Petite Sirah for 12 Days, the wines from EOS impressed me. So when I set out to take a look at a wide array of Zinfandel’s it was a no brainer to see what EOS could do with Zin. I’ll take a look at two from them today. One is their 2005 Estate Zinfandel and the other their 2006 Zinfandel Port.

The 2005 EOS Estate Winery Zinfandel is 87.9% Zin with the balance being made up of Petite Sirah. All the fruit was sourced from their Brothers Ranch Estate vineyard.  The wine was aged for 22 months in a combination of French and American oak ranging from new barrels to neutral. The suggested retail price for this wine is $18.

Blueberry, plum, cedar and vanilla note lead a vibrant nose that bursts from the glass. From the very first sip there are copious amounts of berry fruit notes throughout this wines palate. It approaches being jammy but really stops just short of that. Once the wine opens up (30 minutes in the decanter is my recommendation) it’s robust and exuberant yet well in check and balanced. Spice notes start emerging in the mid-palate and carry through to the finish which also features a bit of emerging earthiness. The generous percentage of Petite Sirah added to this Zinfandel provides structure, depth and some deep dark flavors. These grapes are natural partners and they shine together. This Zinfandel from EOS will be a good match for grilled, highly flavored meats, but will also match well with a dish of pasta.

What I like best about this Zinfandel is that it provides excellent varietal character and good complexity for a reasonable price. Enjoy this one in it’s youth.

The 2006 EOS Winery Zinfandel Port is 79.5% varietal with the balance made up of Petite Sirah. All the fruit is from the EOS Brothers Ranch Estate Vineyard. This port was aged for 12 months in neutral oak  The suggested retail price for this dessert wine is $30.

From the first whiff to the last sip the word that best defines this port is intense. The nose is filled with dried fruit notes of prune and blackberry along with subtler but present cinnamon. From the very first sip chocolate covered blackberry notes fill the palate and provide a lush, rich mouthful of flavor. Fruitcake spice characteristics emerge on the mid-palate and work their way through to the finish which also includes earth, persistent mocha and a touch of chicory. This is an incredibly smooth wine that tastes far more expensive than it’s $30 price tag would indicate. Chocolate desserts of any kind will be an excellent match for this wine as would dried fruits and nuts. Truthfully though, the 2006 EOS Winery Zinfandel Port is an excellent dessert all by itself.

EOS Winery is making some excellent wines at fair price points, this is a label worth looking out for.

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