2009 Sausal Family Zinfandel

It's Superbowl Sunday, and everyone must be getting ready for the big game.  For me, I will watch the game and enjoy a nice bottle of wine in the afternoon, and for me a nice Zinfandel is the perfect wine for the broad range of food on a national holiday like this!  And tonight I've opened a bottle of 2009 Sausal Family Zinfandel, made from grapes grown on old vines in Alexander Valley.

The wine is somewhat lighter in color, with a rich ruby color permeating the glass.  The nose is classic Zin, with a rich combination of ripe fruit scents, from ripe blackberries, sweet cherries and plums, along with a characteristic sweet spice that practically dares you to drink in the whole glass.  The taste is very fruit forward, but not really jammy as some Zins tend to be, it has very nice balance of fruit, spice and acidity.  Midpalate, the fruit subsides and the spice really kicks in, carrying through to the wonderfully supple finish supported by lovely, soft tannins.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a lovely Zin, but not a blow your socks off sort of wine. I bought this one from wineshopper.com, but I can't remember what I paid for it.  As for pairings, it's the Superbowl, I'm pairing this with everything!  But I guess the highlight is some barbecue ribs and buffalo wings, now how could I not pair a nice Zin with barbecue?  Here's to watching a great football game!