Sausal Winery - A Couple of 2005 Zins

The Alexander Valley in Sonoma is today's stop for The 12 Days of Zin. In addition to Zinfandel, when I think of Alexander Valley, tremendous Cabernet Sauvignon comes to mind. The history of Sausal Winery dates back to Leo and Rose Demostene family purchasing the Sausal Ranch in 1956. The winery itself was launched in 1973 by their four children. So their history in Sonoma goes back a ways. While Sausal Winery produces a number of other varietals, all from estate fruit, Zinfadel is firmly at the center of their family operation. Today I'll look at two of their Zins, both from the 2005 vintage. The Sausal Winery 2005 Family Vineyard Zinfandel is 100% varietal and all Estate fruit. The vines for this selection have an average age of over 50 years old. This wine spent 18 months in a 50/50 split of French and American oak. Just over 3,000 cases of this selection were produced and the suggested retail price is $19.

Raspberry pie notes, underscored by a touch of vanilla fill the nose of this wine. While giving this Zin a chance to breathe allows it to really open up, it's ready and jumping out of the glass from the word go. There is an intensity of fruit throughout the palate. It's solid and even keeled, never relinquishing its core fruit flavors. It persistently delivers solid, approachable, at times big, fruit flavor. Tea notes at the end of the mid-palate lead to a lingering finish dotted with lots of white pepper notes. I had this wine with meatloaf and it matched perfectly.

The 2005 Family Vineyard Zin is a classic example of what can be done with this varietal in the Alexander Valley. While this wine is fruity, full and exuberant it exhibits restraint, stopping short of going over the top. At 3 years old it's vibrant, fresh and just at the beginning of it's drinking window. This one will drink well for at least 5 years.

The second Zinfandel I'm peeking at from Sausal Winery is the 2005 Private Reserve. This one was made from estate fruit and vines averaging 90 years of age. This offering spent 19 months in exclusively French oak. It's also 100% varietal. 2,000 cases of it were produced and the suggested retail price is $23.

From the outset, the differences between the two Zinfandels are apparent. The Private reserve is deeper and darker in both color and fruit characteristics. This one also benefits more obviously and immediately from a solid hour in the decanter. Once it's opened up, dark plum and blackberry notes accompanied by cedar and subtle vanilla fill the nose. The palate of this wine is full of deeper, richer and more intense fruit than the Family Vineyards Zin. The added age on the vines is apparent in how much more layered and complex the fruit is throughout this wine. The dark fruit notes carry through the finish joined by mocha, spice and earth. Good acidity and a solid tannic structure keep this wine balanced. This one will be an excellent match for bigger meals. Hearty stews, leg of lamb and roasted game are all good choices.

As with the Family Vineyards, the Private Reserve is also an excellent example of Zinfandel from Alexander Valley. The wines share as many similarities as they do differences. The Private reserve is likely to improve in the short term and drink well for a minimum of 8 years. If you like well made Zinfandel in a classic style, you will want to keep your eye out for what Sausal Winery is doing.

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Ravenswood Winery - A Couple of Zinfandels

One of my goals during The 12 Days of Zin is to cover a wide array of wines. The diversity I've aimed for is not only stylistic though. Some of the Zinfandels are small productions from boutique producers, others are large scale releases available at almost every wine shop in the US. Today I'm looking at a couple of offerings from Ravenswood Winery. Joel Peterson, founder and winemaker of this winery is as synonymous with America's heritage grape as any producer. The range of Zins Ravenswood makes each year runs the gamut from small production, single vineyard offerings to wines that everyone can easily find. The selections I'm looking at today are amongst their most widely available and recognizable by the everyday consumer looking for something to drink with his burger or fajita that very night. First up is the Ravenswood 2006 Vintners Blend. This wine has a California appellation and the majority of the grapes were sourced in Sonoma, Lodi and Mendocino. All three are regions where Zinfandel has thrived over the years. This wine is widely available for right around $10.

The 2006 Vintners Blend opens with a nose of black raspberry and plum, underscored by light bramble and eucalyptus notes. Berry jam notes are prominent from the first sip onward. This is a medium bodied Zinfandel with a soft but full mouth-feel. Black tea notes dominate the mid-palate and carry through the finish which features light mocha and a host of spice characteristics. The finish is medium in length. This wine has been remarkably consistent over the years and the 2006 is no exception. It's particularly impressive for an offering made in such large quantities. Priced to be a good go to Zinfandel any night of the week.

The other Ravenswood I'm looking at is the 2005 Sonoma County Zinfandel. 13% Carignane, 6% Syrah and 5% Petite Sirah were blended in with the Zinfandel (76%). All the grapes were sourced from Sonoma County and aged in French oak, 30% of it new. 10,000 cases of this wine were produced. The suggested retail price for this one is $14.99, but it's generally available for a few dollars less.

The Sonoma County Zin opens with plum vanilla and a touch of earth in the nose. I found this selection the be a bit in need of air at first. Decanting for 45 minutes is recommended. Once it opens up this wine expresses itself with a lovely palate full of spice and fruit flavor. Most of that fruit is of the dark, brooding variety. These characteristics carry through the mid-palate and lead to a finish that features mocha and white pepper notes in abundance. This wine is well balanced and has good acidity. The other varietals blended in add structure and layers of complexity to this wine. While it's drinking well now it's likely to improve in the short term and drink well for 5 or more years. This is another solid everyday value.

Both of these wines from Ravenswood accomplish what they set out to. That is, provide good entry level Zinfandels at a price that most can approach on a regular basis. They offer good varietal character and remain consistent year in and year out.

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Lang Wines - 2006 Oakmont Vineyards Zinfandel

The next wine I'm looking at during The 12 Days of Zin is the first of several to be made from fruit sourced in Amador County. Zinfandel happens to be the grape that Amador is best known for. Lang Wines is a boutique producer that also makes Barbera & Syrah each year. Their entire production is right around 1,500 cases annually. The 2006 Lang Wines Zinfandel is made from fruit sourced at Oakmont Vineyards. These Zinfandel vines are 35 years old. 868 cases of this wine were produced. It sells through their website for $192 per case ($16 per bottle).

The nose of this wine features a cornucopia of berry fruit notes. Blackberry and dark cherry particularly stand out, underscored by subtle gingerbread spice notes. Copious fruit notes fill what is a solid, balanced, full and unyielding palate. From the very first sip luscious berry pie flavors fill this wines palate. Mocha and toasty oak notes which are apparent throughout come out more prominently on the finish. This wine has good tannic structure and solid acidity. This will pair well with just about any meat coming off of your grill as well as a dish of pasta. I also found it to be a real pleasure to drink on its own.

What I like best about this particular Zinfandel is how concurrently smooth and opulent it is from start to finish. There isn't a rough edge to be found anywhere. As I was drinking this wine I was thinking that it reminded of the title of a Howlin' Wolf song, "Built For Comfort." That's exactly how I view this wine, an absolute treat to drink. For the money this wine is an absolute steal. It's easy to see why the Lang Wines website emphasizes case sales. It's likely that if you're a Zin lover you're going to want to a steady supply of this offering.

I'll be looking at their Syrah and Barbera in the near future as well. If they're anywhere near as impressive as the Zinfandel, they'll be wines to look out for as well.

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Del Carlo Winery - 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel

The next stop for the 12 Days of Zin, takes me back to Dry Creek Valley. At three years old the Del Carlo Winery is a fairly new operation. However the two families involved in it (Del Carlo & Teldeschi) have deep roots in Sonoma County. Different branches of the family have been winemakers, growers, farmers and/or residents of the Dry Creek Valley dating as far back as 1929. And in fact some of the Zinfandel vines they still farm and get fruit from are over 100 years old. They're not joking when they say "Old Vine." The 2005 Del Carlo Winery Old Vine Zinfandel is 89 percent varietal with the balance being Petite Sirah. 20% of the wine spent 10 months in New American oak. It was then bottle aged for an additional year before release. 294 cases of this Zin were produced. This release sells for $32.

Plum and vanilla notes fill the nose of this Dry Creek Zinfandel. Taking the first sip, blackberry, earthy bramble and persistent but subtle vanilla emerged. While this wine is engaging from the get go, decanting helps and is recommended. White pepper floats through the entire palate along with present but much more subtle nutmeg notes. Mocha and cherry notes become prominent on the mid-palate and carry through the long finish with features continued spice characteristics and an underbelly of earth that emerges as the wine opens up. This wine is balanced by firm acidity and will be an excellent match for a wide array of foods.

After this wine had been open for a full 24 hours I went back and tasted it again. Beyond holding up, it had improved and become even more expressive. This Zinfandel from Del Carlo is well structured and should improve over the next couple years and drink well for another 3-4 after that.

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Rodney Strong Vineyards - 2006 Knotty Vines Zinfandel

A couple of weeks back I looked at several wines from Rodney Strong Vineyards in Sonoma. Today The 12 Days of Zin checks in with them to see how they handle this quintessentially California varietal. The 2006 Knotty Vines Zinfandel is 99% varietal with 1% Petite Sirah blended in. fruit was sourced from Alexander Valley (83%) and Russian River Valley (17%). The Russian River vines date back to 1904. The wine was aged in American (71%) and French (29%) oak for 10 months. The suggested retail price for this wine is $20, though it can often be found for about $5 less than that.

A touch of reticence immediately out of the bottle is overcome quickly and within 30 minutes this wine is ready to party. Jam laden berry notes and vanilla fill the nose of this wine. Throughout the palate a solid fruit core is underscored by a persistent undercurrent of spice. The combination of these two together is the wines hallmark. The back of the mid-palate has a touch of a bacon fat note on which leads into a finish filled with white pepper, nutmeg and assorted more subtle spices and lingering berry fruit notes.

What I like most about this selection is that it's a Zinfandel with finesse and elegance but also counterbalanced by some zippy jam laden fruit up front to provide immediate appeal. This wine has sufficient acidity and is nicely balanced. Widely available and attractively priced this is a good bet as a go to zin any night of the week. Drink it in the short term.

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Michael David - 2006 Seven Deadly Zins

The next wine I'm looking at for The 12 Days of Zin is from Lodi. Zinfandels from this region often tend to be big jammy blockbusters. This is a style of Zin that can be as popular with some crowds as it is reviled by others. Personally, when they're well made and I'm in the mood, I like a blockbuster in your face Zinfandel as much as the next guy.  Michael David Family of Wines has been making several wines with catchy names and packaging that are priced right for everyday drinking. Today I'll look at their current vintage of Seven Deadly Zins, which happens to be the first release of theirs I became aware of several years back. The Michael Davd Family of Wines 2006 Seven Deadly Zins is a blend of Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel from seven different vineyards. Small amounts of Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot were also added to the blend. The suggested retail price for this wine is $17. Look around or check wine-searcher and you'll see it's often available for closer to $13.

Plum, blueberry, and blackberry fruit fill the nose and palate of this wine. If you could drink wild berry pie, this is probably what it would taste like. As with past vintages the 2006 version absolutely leaps out of the glass when you pour it. While it's hugely expressive immediately,  some air allows it to show it's layers. Lingering fruit and spice carry through a persistent finish. From start to finish this wine is big, mouth-filling, rich and incredibly smooth and silky.

If you're a fan of big, unbridled, jam laden Zins that speak of their Lodi heritage you're going to have a tough time doing better Seven Deadly Zins, especially when you factor in bang for the buck. If you're looking for a Zinfandel that leans towards restrained, this wild child of a Zin might not be for you. An excellent choice to bring to a BBQ or other large gathering. Both the price and the explosive flavor are sure to please the masses.

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Orfila Vineyards & Winery - 2005 Zinfandel

The 12 Days of Zin Continues with what will be its Southern most stop. Orfila Vineyards and Winery is a San Diego based operation. Orfila Winery was purchased close to 20 years ago by Alejandro Orfila and his wife. He is a former Argentine Ambassador to the US. His General Manager and Winemaker at Orfila is Leon Santoro. Santoro brought a wide range of experience with him. His past winemaking includes stops at Napa Valley's Quail Ridge, Stags Leap Cellars and Louis Martini Winery. Together Orfila and Santoro share a stated goal to prove that excellent wine can be produced in the Southern part of California. Orfila has a 70 acre Estate with 40 of those under vine. The 2005 Orfila Winery & Vineyards "Gold Rush" Zinfandel was sourced from the Lopez Vineyards in Rancho Cucamonga. The suggested retail price for this wine is $24.

The nose of this 2005 Zin from Orfila is filled with the aromas of fresh summer berry pie. I found the wine to be slightly tight out of the bottle. Decanting or letting it open a bit in your glass is recommended. Once it opens up a ton of cherry and subtle wild strawberry notes come out in droves. While this selection is rich and full in the mid-palate it leans towards medium bodied within the world of Zinfandel. Black pepper and light earth notes fill the finish which has good length. I had this with London broil and it complemented it quite well.

What I liked most about this particular Zinfandel is its combination of rich flavor, countered by smooth, easy drinkability. A nice selection from Orfila Vineyards and Winery.

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Eberle - 2006 Zinfandel

The first stop today during the 12 Days of Zin is Paso Robles. As I've mentioned in the past I feel Zinfandel is one of the varietals that tends to really thrive in the Paso Robles area. With a couple of exceptions Zins from this area that have most impressed my tend towards the bigger, jammy style. Gary Eberle who founded the namesake winery has a history of wine-making in the region that precedes it even being an officially recognized appellation. Their broad array of offerings include Rhone and Bordeaux varietals as well as several other wines such as Zinfandel that aren't part of either classification. The 2006 Eberle Winery Zinfandel was made with fruit sourced from both the Steinbeck and Wine Bush vineyards. The split was an even 50/50. This wine spent 16 months aging in 20% new American oak.  Just over 2,800 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price for this wine is $24.

The first thing that is apparent about the Eberle Zinfandel is that it needs to breathe. Before decanting it didn't really give much. After having had the chance to get some air it really started to shine. Plum, blueberry, and black raspberry all come out in the nose. From the entry point through the mid-palate there is plenty of medium bright fruit accompanied by a sour cherry undertone that gives this offering a very unique and appealling edge. Blackberry pie spice, as well as white pepper and earth make up the lingering finish. This wine will be an excellent match for almost any type of BBQ. I had it with slow cooked, pulled pork and it worked marvelously. A nice little value.

This wine shares elements of both big jam laden Zins as well as those made in a more restrained style. It has a fine acidity that helps balance it. For maximum pleasure I recommend drinking this one over the next 2-4 years.

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Cakebread Cellars - 2005 Zinfandel

The 12 Days of Zin continues with a stop at Napa Valley's Cakebread Cellars. Their story is one of a true family business that starts with Jack and Dolores Cakebread and continues through their sons and extended family. When a lot of people think of Cakebread Cellars the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc come to mind. This isn't surprising as they have both been heralded and scored highly in various publications for many years. Personally I've always been a bigger fan of their reds. Thus I'm happy to include their Zinfandel in this series. The Cakebread Cellars 2005 Zinfandel is 100% varietal. All of the fruit is from the Lake County, Red Hills appellation. Three different Zinfandel clones were aged separately for 9 months. At that point the final blend was put together and the wine spent another 9 months in 35% new French oak barrels. The suggested retail price for this wine is $41.

This 2005 Zin has berry, bramble and vanilla on the nose. It comes out of the gate a little tight and decanting for an hour or so is recommended. Once it's had that chance to open up its layers really come out. This is a thick, rich, opulent and mouth-filling example of Zinfandel.  Chocolate covered cherry notes emerge on the entry and carry though the palate. Plum, blackberry and other dark fruit underscore the chocolate notes which remain persistent throughout. Both white and black peppers come out on the finish, accompanied by subtler oak notes. A firm tannic structure is evident as well.

What I like best about this wine is that it's got a really solid, even keeled palate that never seems to fade. It carries solid, rich notes throughout the wine. This is an example of a bigger, riper Zin, with some jam fruit elements. However it's balanced and structured enough that it will not only drink well and hold for several years but will likely improve in the short term.

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Papapietro Perry - 2005 Zinfandel

The third day of The 12 Days of Zin marks another stop at a winery in the Dry Creek Valley. 2008 marks 10 years since the first vintage of Papapietro Perry. Interestingly they specialize in both Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. Each is a red grape made in an incredibly wide array of styles. Both happen to be favorite varietals of mine and I tend to cover examples of each whenever  I have the opportunity. Whereas with Pinot Noir I'm strongly in favor of those made in a classic Burgundian style, I'm much more open to more divergent styles of Zin. The Papapietro Perry 2005 Pauline's Vineyard Zinfandel is 100% single vineyard varietal. It was aged for 13 months in a combination of 2 and 3 year old French Oak. 390 cases of this wine were produced and it retails for $36.

Decanting this wine is highly recommended. At first blush, out of bottle it's closed up and tight. Once it opens though it tells a far more expressive story. Red raspberry and earthy bramble fill the nose along with subtler but present blueberry notes. While the nose has jam aspects the palate rides the line. All the berry fruit is kept in check by fine acidity and a solid tannic structure. Dark plum notes emerge at the back end of the mid-palate, leading the way to the finish. Vanilla, nutmeg, white pepper and dust notes fill the lingering finish. That dust leaves the final impression and is an indicator of it's Dry Creek heritage. This wine will be a nice match for pepper steak, london broil or a burger topped with strong cheese.

What I like best about this Zinfandel is it's impressive structure and clear ability to age. This should improve over the next year or so and drink well for a minimum of 5 years after that, likely longer. While $36 may not be a wine you have every night with a burger, not every Zin will improve with age, not to mention impress with it's balance and overall finesse.

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Fritz Winery - A Couple of 2005 Zinfandels

The 12 Days of Zin continues with what will be the first of several stops in the Dry Creek Valley. Quite a few varietals thrive in this area of Sonoma, but I find Zinfandels from this area seem to be particularly impressive in general. Today's selections are from Fritz Winery. They produce approximately 12,000 cases annually of wine from grapes they grow in Dry Creek and Estate Vineyards in the Russian River Valley. I'm looking at both their Estate Zinfandel and an Estate Reserve Zinfandel today. The 2005 Estate Zinfandel is 100% varietal and all Estate fruit. The wine spent 6 months in a combination of French and American oak, 40% of it was new. Just under 2,800 cases of this selection were released and the suggested retail price is $25.

The first thing that's apparent is this wine has a beautiful cherry apple red hue. Bright cherry, vanilla and underlying wild strawberry fruit are featured in the nose of the 2005 Estate Zinfandel from Fritz. 45 minutes or so in the decanter or glass serves this wine well and allows it open nicely. Once it does it shows itself to be medium bodied (within the world of Zins) and choc full of cherry and spice flavors. This wine is smooth and easy drinking while filling the plate with nutmeg spice and earth on a gentle, lingering finish. The spice notes are the most prominent and persistent throughout this wines palate. While this wine will stand up to some ribs, it's balanced enough to be a welcome match for a dish of pasta as well.

Compared to the Estate Zinfandel, only a tiny amount of the Fritz Winery 2005 Estate Reserve was produced. In fact, only 278 cases in total. The reserve has a suggested retail price of $40.

What's immediately obvious about the reserve is how much darker it is in color than the estate. That deeper hue comes through immediately. The nose is filled with blackberry, vanilla, cedar and an underlying touch of eucalyptus. Taking the first sip of this wine I found it, not surprisingly, to be a little tight straight out of the bottle. Once it opened up sour cherry and black pepper notes came out prominently on the entry point. From the mid-palate through the finish more deep, dark fruit notes are buttressed by terrific white pepper, nutmeg and cherry pie spice notes. This wine has excellent acidity and is impeccably balanced. It's a bigger, bolder wine than the Estate and should be paired with heartier foods that will best complement it.

I tasted the reserve again after it had been open for a full 24 hours. In that time period it had blossomed further and was even more expressive than the day before. I'd expect it to age effortlessly for at least a decade.

What I liked best about these wines is that they're each fine values in their respective price categories. They're both made in a more classic style of Zinfandel. Both have some jam fruit elements but tend towards restraint balance and the ability to age.

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Barra of Mendocino - 2004 Estate Zinfandel

The second selection during the 12 Days of Zin, takes us up to Mendocino. Barra of Mendocino is a family owned winery that exclusively uses Estate fruit in its wines. They have 175 organically farmed acres under vine. Petite Sirah, Chardonnay and Muscat Cannelli are just of few of the varietals outside of Zinfandel that they produce. Their history is a long one, founder Charlie Barra has been farming grapes since the mid 40's. In 1954 he purchased the land the vineyards are part of. The 2004 Barra of Mendocino Zinfandel is a brand new release. This wine is 100% varietal. The wine was aged in a combination of new (20%), one year (40%) and three year (40%) French oak. 562 cases of this wine were produced and the retail price of this selection is $20.

The Barra of Mendocino 2004 Estate Zinfandel is impressive from the word go. That said, letting it breathe is recommended for it to spread it's wings and fully soar.  Blackberry jam, cassis and vanilla notes leap out of the glass and form a lively and exciting nose. From the first sip it's filled with plum notes underscored by subtle cinnamon. This wine has a rich round, smooth, mouth-feel. The entire palate is full of big, firm fruit notes. The finish, which is lengthy enough to be impressive, features lots of spice in the form of black pepper as well as mocha notes that really emerge in a big way once this wine opens up, bringing to mind chocolate covered blackberries.

What I like best about this Zinfandel is how well balanced it is, featuring excellent acidity. The four years of aging before release seem to have suited this wine very well. It nicely layered with good fruit and spice components and several layers of complexity. Harmonious is the word that comes to mind most when reflecting on this selection. As indicated above, less than 600 cases of this wine were produced. If you're a fan of well made Zinfandel that will complement a wide array of food, this is one to get your hands on. Kudos to Barra of Mendocino.

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Valley of the Moon Winery - 2005 Zinfandel

The first wine I'm looking at during The 12 Days of Zin is a widely available release from Sonoma County. Valley of The Moon Winery is based in Glen Ellen California. They produce an array of varietal offerings, as well as several proprietary blends. While the winery has been in existence since the late 1800's, a 1997 revitalization and modernization found it recommitted as a current wine making house. The 2005 Valley of the Moon Zinfandel is 95% varietal with 5% Petite Sirah blended in. 36% of the fruit comes from Dry Creek Valley with the remainder coming from Sonoma Valley in general. The wine was aged for 16 months in a combination of French (60%) and American (40%) oak barrels. Just over 10,000 cases of this wine were made and the suggested retail price is $16.

Tons of jammy fruit in the form of blackberry and plum notes fill the nose. I found this wine to be pretty accessible right out of the bottle. That said, 30 minutes in the decanter took it to a more open and expressive place. The palate is filled with an avalanche of sweet berry fruit from the first sip through the finish. Blackberry pie notes in particular come out strongly in the mid-palate. Vanilla, spice and earth are the main components of a finish that's above average in length.

What I like best about this Zinfandel is that is successfully straddles the stylistic line. Up front it's jam laden with tons of fruit but that's balanced by solid acidity and capped with a solid finish. The Petite Sirah that's blended in adds backbone, structure and a dollop of deep, dark fruit undertones.

While this wine retails for $16, it can often be found for a few dollars less. In its price range this is a good wine and nice value, offering solid varietal character and sufficient complexity.

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12 Days of Zinfandel

Coming up next is what's going to total out to 24 days of Zinfandel coverage. The first 12 Days will start next and continue through the middle of the month. Then a few other wines will be covered followed by 12 MORE Days of Zin towards the end of the month. Over 40 Zinfandel's will be covered ranging from commonly available wines produced in large quantities to small productions from boutique and medium sized wineries. Many different growing areas in California will be represented. So strap yourself in and grab a glass of ZIN! Check out ZAP The Group dedicated to Zinfandel.

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Thornton Winery - 2005 Amador County Zinfandel

In addition the the grapes Thornton Winery farms themselves they source fruit from other areas of California. One of those areas is Amador County. Located in the Sierra Foothills, Amador County is best known for Zinfandel. Many of the Zinfandel vines planted in Amador County are amongst the oldest in California. While the term "Old Vines" is often used loosely throughout California the Zinfandels emerging from Amador County, generally are truly Old Vine. The last wine I'll be looking at this week from Thornton Winery is in fact an Amador Zinfandel. The Thornton Winery 2005 Amador County OVOC (Old Vine, Old Clone) Zinfandel was produced from vines over 100 years old. This Zinfandel was aged for 22 months in 45% new French Oak, with the remainder in 2 year old American Oak. Production was limited to 369 Cases, making this a winery direct exclusive. The price of this wine is $44.

This Zinfandel's nose opens with bright berry fruit and nutmeg spice on the nose. The first sip reveals that this zinfandel is tart out of the bottle and requires some time to open up and express itself. After decanting this wine reveals a lot of dark berry fruit and continued spice notes. The mid-palate brings out dust and brambly earth notes that carry through the long and persistent finish which also includes mocha, white pepper and additional berry. This is a substantial wine and will best be when paired with hearty foods that match it's robust flavor profile.

This Thornton offering is a classically styled wine made far more in the style of traditional Zinfandels than some of the super ripe, overly jammy wines out there. That said this wine has plenty of bright, open, upfront fruit, however it never comes close to being over the top. This is a well balanced wine with good acidity, and a firm tannic structure. This Zinfandel will evolve over the next 5 or 6 years and drink well for the better part of a decade. This IS your Grandpa's Zinfandel!

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Locatelli Vineyards & Winery - 2006 Melodia

The final wine I'm looking at this week from Locatelli Vineyards & Wineryis a blend. They make several other blends as well. The other red blends are more focused on Bordeaux varietals. Melodia is a distinctly California style blend. Locatelli Vineyards 2006 Melodia is a 50/50 blend of Zinfandel & Petite Sirah. Only 59 cases of this wine were produced and it sells for $35.

Dark plum, violet and vanilla notes comprise the expressive nose of this wine. From the very first sip Melodia proves itself to be a full, mouth-filling wine at both the high and low end of the flavor spectrum. Tons of berry fruit present throughout. On the mid-palate they're accompanied by fruitcake spices. The finish of this wine is long and persistent with copious dark chocolate and spice notes dominating along with subtle earthiness. The wine would be an excellent accompaniment to roast leg of lamb or other substantial foods.

Melodia is alternately layered, complex, big and beefy. Decanting this wine for at least an hour is recommended to get the best out of it now. I imagine a year or so down the road it'll be drinking even better than it is at this time. Towards that end I re-tasted this wine after it had been open for a full 24 hours. What I found is a wine that was even more open expressive and ultimately impressive  than it was on the first night.

Zinfandel and Petite Sirah blended together in California are as natural as grape partners come.  Often times It's a small percentage of one of the other blended into a varietal bottling. In this case they get equal billing. It works tremendously well. I enjoyed all three Locatelli wines I tasted through this week, but Melodia was my favorite. I suspect with that Petite Sirah backbone it might age the best as well. If you're interested, grab them now I understand the already small production is dwindling.

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Locatelli Vineards & Winery - 2006 Old Vines Zinfandel

Over the next couple of days I'll look at a few red wines from Locatelli Vineatrds & Winery in Paso Robles. They are a family operation, having been founded by Louis Gregory, the Great Grandson of an Italian Immigrant with a long wine making tradition, and his wife Raynette.  Additionally they're also boutique winery that makes small lots of handcrafted wines.  Their offerings are a combination of blends and varietal bottlings. I'll take at wine from each of those categories. Locatelli Vineyards & Winery 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel was sourced from Ranchita Canyon Vineyard. A small amount of Petite Sirah was also blended in. 60 Cases of this Estate wine were produced and it sells for $22.

Both bright and dark berry notes along with vanilla and an underlying touch of cotton candy fill the nose of this wine. From the first sip onward black cherry is one of the dominant flavors in this Zinfandel. A ton of white pepper and other assorted and more subtle spice notes emerge on the mid-palate and carry through to the finish. That finish, which is of above average length features some earthiness and a touch of cedar.

This offering is a classic example of Old Vine Zinfandel. Deep, dark fruit, brambly earth notes and lots of spice. It has an intense, persistent palate and a terrific finish. It's also a smooth wine with no rough edges at all on it. Despite alcohol well over 15% this wine doesn't drink hot at all. Modestly priced at $22, and limited to 60 cases, if you love Zinfandel this is one to grab before it's gone. I happen to believe that Zinfandel is one of the varietals that Paso Robles is most notable for. That said, this is a particularly terrific rendition.

Coming Up: Two more releases from Locatelli Vineyards & Winery.

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Clos La Chance - 2005 - Buff-Bellied Zinfandel

The 2005 Buff-Bellied Zinfandel is part of Clos La Chance's Hummingbird Series. These are their entry level wines and most of them retail for between $14 & $18. Even though it's one of their entry level selections all the fruit was sourced from their estate vineyard in San Martin, CA. They also name each of the wines in this series for a specific type of Hummingbird, one that they feel relates in some way to that varietal. Just over 7,000 cases of this Zinfandel were made. 83% of it is Zinfandel with Petite Sirah, Primitivo and Alicante Bouchet making up the rest. A quarter of the wine was aged for in new American oak for 14 months with the remainder in neutral oak. This particular wine retails at $18 and it can be found pretty commonly for closer to $15.

The Buff-Bellied Zinfandel offers a nose-full of raspberries and spice with subtle vanilla notes. Upon first sipping, I found it to be a bit tart out of the bottle. However it opened up quickly. Thirty minutes in the decanter had it really showing off it's charms. Once it did open up there was abundant dark fruit followed by a mid-palate with lots of both light and dark jammy berry notes and more prominent vanilla characteristics. This is a mouth-filling wine that lights up your senses as you drink it. A subtle plum note and white pepper that lingers for a good long while close it out.

I find that I often enjoy Zinfandels that have a generous amount (10% in this case) of Petite Sirah blended in. The tradition of doing that goes back to many of the Italian field blends that have been popular in California for many years. What I feel the Petite Sirah adds to these Zinfandels is a dark brooding bottom end to balance the bright Zinfandel fruit.  If a Zinfandel like this were a rock band I think of the Petite Sirah as the thumping bass while the Zinfandel itself is the screaming lead guitar.

The Clos La Chance Buff-Bellied Zinfandel is well balanced with excellent acidity. It has some jammy characteristic but it's far more elegant that the typical Zinfandel. That being the case this wine will go with a much wider variety of food than most Zinfandels. I had it with Penne Arrabiata and found that to be an excellent match for it.

Throughout the year I drink and/or taste quite a few Zinfandel's as they're of particular interest to me within the larger world of wine. I found the Clos la Chance Buff-Bellied Zinfandel from the Hummingbird Series to be a fine example of one made in a traditional style at a fair price.

Up Next: Clos La Chance Black-Chinned Syrah

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Brutocao Cellars - 2006 Zinfandel Port & Their Wine Club

The 2006 Zinfandel Port closes out the week on releases from Brutucao Cellars I'm covering at this time. However, considering how impressed I am with the wines from this producer, I expect I'll cover other releases from them in the future. They're also on my short list of wineries to visit on my next trip to California. Before I get to the Zinfandel Port though I thought I'd mention a couple of things about their wine club. Every wine club has it's perks and benefits. Brutocao Cellars has one that seems unique. With a small membership fee when you join they give you a 3 liter bottle of wine. It's worth noting that age-worthy wines tend to do even better in large format bottles. Of course their wine club also includes the normal discounts and free tastings most clubs feature too. Tours at the winery are also free to members. It's my understanding that they have a pretty large and active membership that's growing all the time. Their wines are already reasonably priced in my opinion, add a wine club discount on top of that and you're looking at some real bargains. Check the wine-club specifics out at their web-page, which is very well laid out and informative.

The 2006 Brutocao Cellars Zinfandel Port leads with a nose full of berry and mocha notes. The moment this Port hits your lips you get sweet candied black cherry that carries on all the way through the finish. The mid palate features more berry and cherry fruit as well as some spice. The finish, which carries on for a nice long while features fruitcake notes and lingering mocha characteristics. This Zinfandel Port is smooth and silky and doesn't drink hot at all as some Zin Ports have a tendency to.

I found this wine to be a perfect match for chocolate covered cherries. But it would also go well with dark chocolate, plum pudding or a host of other desserts. The other alternative is to make this Port the dessert and let it shine on it's own. 540 cases were made and it's available in both 375 ml and 750 ml bottles at $20 or $34 respectively. A 375 ml bottle is the perfect size to share with a couple of other people.

As I've stated throughout this week, Brutocao Cellars is making well balanced, food friendly wines. This is definitely a producer whose wines I'd urge my readers to seek out.

 Coming up this week: Releases from Edna Valley Vineyards as well as Mollydooker. 

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Brutocao Cellars - 2005 Zinfandel & Personal Vineyards Program

Today I'll be looking Brutocao Cellars 2005 Hopland Ranches Zinfandel. But before getting to that I want to mention a fairly unique program that Brutocao Cellars runs in addition to their world class winery. Personal Vineyards is aimed at those wine lovers who want to become involved in the process. It's a scaleable club that allows you to base your participation in wine-making at a level of commitment that you're comfortable with. After joining you might choose to get down and dirty in every step of the winemaking process or you might just make a few key decisions about your wine. Specific vines will be assigned to you based on the varietals you choose. Ultimately the grapes from those vines will be used to make 16 cases of wine that bear a label you have the ability to design yourself. If you're a wine lover you'll not only gain hands on experience with one of your passions, you'll also have a tangible result in the form of wine you can enjoy for years to come and share with friends and family. The Personal Vineyards website has much more detailed information. You can also contact Leslie Bramwell-Smith the Executive Director of this program by e-mail, leslie@personalvineyards.com or phone 1-866-530-4567. As mentioned, today's wine is their 2005 Zinfandel. The fruit was sourced from  two separate blocks on their Hopland Ranches Estate. 18% of the wine spent 16 months in new oak. 1850 cases of this Zinfandel were produced and the suggested retail price is $22.

The Brutocao Cellars Zinfandel has a huge nose of jammy candied blackberries, black pepper and subtle mocha notes. This is followed by a mid palate with more dark berry fruit. The finish which maintains the dark fruit also features tingly white pepper and earth character. The Brutocao Zinfandel is big, ripe and in your face, but it also has sufficient acidity and balance to make it a wine you can enjoy with a meal. This zinfandel would be an excellent choice with grilled meats, particularly a rack of baby-back ribs.

For close to 10 years, one of my favorite Zinfandel's year in and year out has been Cosentino's CigarZin. So it's certainly a compliment when I say that the 2005 Brutocao Cellars Zinfanel reminds me of CigarZin. As of this writing Brutocao Cellars has also released the 2006 Hopland Ranches Zinfandel. Production in 2006 was just over 3300 cases making it their largest single varietal bottling to date.  Considering the total production for Brutocao Cellars is 12,000 they're clearly vested in this great varietal.

Two days and wines into my week long coverage of Brutocao Cellars, the story of their wines is emerging. These are appealing, food friendly wines which are also fairly priced.

Up Next from Brutocao Cellars: Quadriga, a blend of four Italian Varietals

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