2023 Eberle Zinfandel

Well it's been a great weekend so far!  Today I had a retreat for the folks that volunteer to serve breakfast at the green room at church, and we cooked a couple of delicious chicken dishes that we enjoyed at lunch.  After that, I ran some errands, met with some friends to socialize, and then went to get some groceries, so now it's time to relax with a nice dinner.  And of course, that means opening a bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that was a surprise gift, you see yesterday I received a half case of wine from a winery that my aunt and uncle love. They send me a couple of bottled every Christmas, but apparently the winery made an error and substituted my address for theirs and so I received their wine club shipment!  The winery acknowledged the error and as a result, I got six free bottles of wine!  So, I thought it appropriate to enjoy one tonight, and I've opened a bottle of 2023 Eberle Paso Robles Zinfandel, let's see how it's tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Zinfandel.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, blackberry, dried herbs and kirsch that will have you reaching for a sip.  That first taste is a rush of ripe berry fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that envelop your palate before transitioning to some earthy notes of dusty limestone and white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are subdued but still provide a vibrant base for the long, smooth dry finish with a reprise of ripe berries at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking wine that would pair well with a wide range of dishes, from burgers and tacos, to barbecue and Asian wings.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a more refined dinner of surf and turf, a rare, pan seared bison filet mignon, with a steamed lobster tail, mushroom alfredo pasta and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2019 Trestle Glen Vineyards Sonoma Valley Zinfandel

Happy Sunday!  It was rainy and dreary today, so that means catching up on work and doing laundry!  At least there is still wine, and tonight's selection, which I bought from Wines Till Sold Out, combines two of my favorite things, wine and trains!  Trestle Glen Vineyards name and label pay homage to the Sonoma Valley Railway that ran between Sonoma Town and the village of Glen Ellen between 1882 and 1907.  The 2019 Trestle Glen Vineyards Sonoma Valley Zinfandel is a classic example of the varietal with the accompanying high alcohol (in this case 15.3% ABV).  So, let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, somewhat lighter than you might expect from a classic jammy Zinfandel.  The note presents aromas of blueberry, plum with undertones of nutmeg, cedar and peppery spice.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of jammy fruit that is intertwined with some earthy notes of cedar, tar and basalt before transitioning to some white pepper spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are soft, allowing for the acidity in the wine to bite a bit at the smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a pleasant drinking Zindandel that would be ideal for casual dinners, especially at the price of just $17!  This wine would pair well with everything from barbecue to tacos, pizza to steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a special steak fajita dinner.  This weekend I had the chance to buy a nice round steak at my local market that was harvested from our recent 4H county fair, so truly farm to table!  I grilled the steak with some spices then added sautéed onions and hatch chiles and topped them with all the accoutrements!  Cheers!

Eclipse Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Zinfandel

Happy Sunday!  I got a few things accomplished this afternoon, including painting the base coat of the windmill I brought home yesterday as well as smoking a large short rib plate which will be my dinner tonight.  Which brings me to the wine I've opened this evening, the Eclipse Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Zinfandel blend from the Dry Creek Valley of California.  This wine was made by a friend of mine which he does as a hobby, sourcing grapes from California and blending and aging the wine for his friends.  So, given that my dinner will be barbecued tonight, I couldn't think of a better wine than a Zin-Cab blend!

The wine is an inky color with a deep garnet color along the edges, as you might expect from such a blend.  The nose presents aromas of leather and oak, with some undertones of blackberry jam.  Take a sip and you are treated with an evolving series of black fruit, blackberry, blueberry and currant that transition easily to some notes of charred oak and mineral midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, which opened the door for some pronounced acidity on the dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, as it's a solid effort from my friend, but could be a bit more refined in complexity.  As I mentioned, this wine would pair well with barbecue, and it just so happens that I'm enjoying this wine with dinner on the patio, barbecued beef short ribs along with some mustard baked beans and sriracha slaw.  Cheers!

2018 Forgeron Zinfandel

Happy Saturday!  I apologize for the lack of posting last week as I had to be in Charlotte for work, so I     had no time for blogging (though I did have time for a few instagram posts).  So I'm back at it today, and just in time for summer to arrive.  After the arctic blast that had our lows at freezing or below over the past few weeks, this week we reached the upper 80s and I have been sweating nonstop for the past two days!  But at least with the heat it seems that it's finally time to barbecue, and what's better with barbecue than Zinfandel?  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2018 Forgeron Zinfandel, which is a pure varietal from the Alter Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington.  Let's see if this one is rib ready!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you might expect from a nice Zinfandel.  A swirl of the glass and you slowly inhale to reveal aromas of boysenberry, raspberry and leather with undertones of dark chocolate.  Raise the glass and take a sip to have a rush of candied plum and cherries wash over your palate before easing into some earthy mineral notes and a touch of graphite at the finish.  The tannins are well structured providing for an added textural component to the long, smooth dry finish that will have you quickly reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of the nicest Zinfandels I've had in quite some time.  This wine would pair exceptionally well with barbecue, from ribs and chicken to pulled pork and brisket, this one would do well.  Tonight I am taking a bit of a detour from our traditional rich midwest barbecue and enjoying this wine with some smoked baby back ribs finished with some South Carolina mustard barbecue sauce, along with some coleslaw and baked beans.  Memorial Day is next weekend, but I couldn't resist starting a week early!

2015 Michel-Schlumberger Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  It's been a busy day and since I'm entertaining tonight, I'll have to make this quick!  Oh, who am I kidding, I can't do anything quick.  So tonight I've invite some friends over for dinner and we are having some filet mignon (some will have prime beef while those of us more adventurous will have bison!) and what goes better with filet then a nice Napa Valley Cabernet.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2015 Michel-Schlumberger Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon.  This is the fourth vintage I've enjoyed of this wine, though not in order, as I've sampled the 2013, 2014 and 2016 previously.  I bought this wine from Wines Till Sold Out, and it is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (81%), Merlot (9%), Syrah (4%), Zinfandel (4%) and Cabernet Franc (2%) from Napa Valley Vineyards in Yountville (69%), Southeast Napa (11%), St. Helena (10%), Rutherford (5%), Stags Leap (3%), Oakville (1%), and Howell Mountain (1%).  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is deep, brooding affair, with inky black at the center and bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a rush of ripe jammy fruit up front, with blackberry, cherry and prune amid earthy aromas of oak and smoke.  The taste much more subdued than the nose suggests with a mellow blackberry and plum up front that transitions to some notes of tobacco and a hint of lavender midpalate.  The chalky tannins make for a rich mouthfeel and provide a nice base for a long, dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a remarkably pleasant, old world style Cabernet from the new world of Napa Valley.  This wine would of course pair well with steak, but it would also be ideal with lamb, pork tenderloin or earthy wild mushroom risotto.  As I mentioned earlier, tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bison filet mignon along with some garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2015 Heitz Cellar Napa Valley Zinfandel

Happy Friday!  It's been a busy week, so I am definitely looking forward to some relaxation this weekend (though I have a bunch of things happening so this may be my only post for the weekend!).  In any case, it's time to open a nice bottle of wine, and pairing with my dinner was a bit of a challenge, but I decided upon a nice Zinfandel, the food friendly wine!  Tonight, I'm enjoying a 2015 Heitz Cellar Napa Valley Zinfandel that I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out, so let's see how this one is shaping up!

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose presents aromas of earthy mineral notes under some jammy fruit notes of cherry, plum and strawberry.  The taste is somewhat Bordeaux-esque with a bit of funk hanging around, but the fruit is quite vibrant with flavors of cherry and strawberry up front that transitions to some notes of tar and basalt midpalate. The finish features a bit of tart cherry over some tightly wound tannins providing for a long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very nice Zinfandel, but in my view not quite to the level of a Lodi Zin.  As always, this varietal is exceptionally food friendly and would pair well with anything from pizza to ribs, tacos to steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a bit more challenging dinner of grilled Spanish octopus with some grilled asparagus and white truffle butter orzo with shaved Parmesan.  I"m not sure I could have packed any more flavors on that plate!  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Zinfandel

Today was Washington's Birthday, but unlike many government workers, I and many others like me had to work today, so it's time to relax and enjoy a nice dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the latest wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2017 Zinfandel.  This wine is a 100% Zinfandel from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington.  The 2017 vintage was a challenge given the record cold winter in Eastern Washington that year, so let's see how this food-friendly wine is shaping up!

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, just as you might expect from the varietal.  The nose offers and intriguing blend of earthiness and refined fruit notes, smoke, oak and candied cherries get your attention quickly.  The taste is classically Zinfandel, with a rush of ripe cherry, blackberry and blueberry up front that gives way to some notes of vanilla bean midpalate with a hint of white pepper spice as you approach the finish.  The fine tannins are ideal as a base for the long and elegant dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it is a solid contender to challenge the quality of a classic Lodi Zinfandel.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of weekday dishes, from barbecue to burgers, steaks to pizza and tacos.  Tonight I am taking a cue from the Italian connection of this varietal and enjoying this wine with some slow cooked braciole with linguine and topped with shaved Parmesan and fresh basil.  Cheers!

2007 Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Zinfandel

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's that magical first Saturday of the month, where I peruse the cellar to find something to open that's at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that a friend gave me quite a few years ago, so it literally has been in my cellar for a while, the 2007 Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Zinfandel.  Normally, Zinfandel is not seen as particularly age-worthy, certainly not as much as a fine Cabernet, but since I've opened this bottle, it will be interesting to see how the wine has progressed over the past dozen years.

The wine is a bright garnet color in the glass, with a hint of auburn along the edges.  The nose is an interesting affair, with some earthy notes of leather, charcoal and spice interspersed with hints of floral aromas.  The taste is a rush of jammy ripe fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum, classic for a Zinfandel, that transition nicely to some flavors of smoke and tart cherry midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat mellow, leading to a rather soft, but very dry finish with a bit of peppery spice at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's drinking nicely now, but I expect it would have been just as good a decade ago.  This wine would pair well with a variety of causal dinners, from pizza and tacos to barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic barbecue of slow cooked beef back ribs, finished off on the grill, with some Bourbon molasses baked beans and freshly made mustard potato salad.  Cheers!

2016 Forgeron Zinfandel

Happy Sunday!  I've spend much of the afternoon tying to memorize lines for the play I'm in as well as doing laundry before tonight's rehearsal, so I figured I deserve a break with a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the recent wine club selection from Forgeron Cellars, the 2016 Zinfandel, a 100% Zinfandel from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a bright garnet in the glass, with nice clarity, just as you'd expect from a nice Zinfandel.  The nose is a tempting array of anise, candied fruit, tobacco and smoke that expresses why this red wine is a perennial summer favorite.  The taste is characterized by a halting rush of fruit, cherry, blackberry and currant that transitions nicely to some warm spice notes of white pepper and clove with a hint of mocha midpalate.  The tannins are soft and well structured for the long, smooth and wonderfully dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a very pleasant drinking Zinfandel that's very food friendly and approachable.  This wine would be ideal for many summer favorites, from barbecued ribs and steaks to burgers and brats.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some grilled pork tenderloin along with some asparagus and butternut squash and kale farro.  Cheers!

2007 Girard Napa Valley Old Vine Zinfandel

Happy Labor Day!  I know, I technically missed Cellar Saturday as I was driving through the north woods of Minnesota, but thankfully it's a holiday weekend so this will still count as my Cellar Saturday for September, even though it's Monday.  Tonight I've decided to open an old bottle of 2007 Girard Napa Valley Old Vine Zinfandel, which is a bottle with a somewhat interesting story.  I bought this wine back in 2011 when the famed 1913 Room restaurant at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids was closing.  They were selling a lot of different items, silverware, china and other things (I think I have a couple butter knives) and the contents of their wine cellar.  So I bought this bottle for $18.50 along with a few others that are probably around here somewhere, and it's been in my cellar ever since.  So let's see how this one has aged!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, classic for a nice old vine Zinfandel.  The nose is chock full of sweet cherry, vanilla, oak and peppery spice, just what you might expect from the varietal.  The taste is a rush of cherry, fig and vanilla at the outset, which transitions to come green olive notes midpalate.  The classic Zinfandel peppery spice comes in right at the end, and lingers with the somewhat mellow tannins for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's still a very nice wine, but my sense is this was just a few years past its peak.  Like most Zindandels, this wine would pair very well with a variety of more casual, end-of-summer cookout fare, which is a good thing as tonight I'm enjoying this wine with some barbecued baby back ribs along with some coleslaw and corn on the cob.  The spice in this wine does wonders against the sweetness of the barbecue sauce.  Cheers!

2013 Murphy-Goode Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  It's been an odd day of running errands and not being able to do yard work as it can't seem to make up its mind whether it will rain or not.  Well maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow.  In the meantime, I've opened a bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner before heading out to enjoy a performance at the Elkhart Civic Theatre, tonight it's Disney's Beauty and the Beast.  So the wine, this is a bottle I picked up at my local market for only about $8, so I figured it was worth a try.  I think it's a blend of primarily Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah and some other red varietals from Sonoma, but I couldn't find the exact blend.  So let's see how it tastes. 

The wine is a nice garnet color in the glass and the nose exudes aromas of leather, cherries, oak and a hint of anise.  The taste is a rush of warm, ripe fruit, cherry, plum, blueberry and a bit of raspberry that transitions to some mineral notes and earthiness midpalate.  The finish is somewhat subdued, with mellow tannins providing for a silky mouthfeel on the smooth, dry finish. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a pleasant drinking everyday red wine and a terrific value if you can find it on sale for under $10.  This wine would pair very well with burgers, pizza or barbecue, but I'm enjoying it tonight with an alder planked wild sockeye filet, potato puree and some fresh green beans almondine that I bought fresh today.  The great cherry flavors of this wine make it ideal with a rich salmon.  Cheers!

2015 Forgeron Zinfandel

Happy Taco Tuesday!  I bet you'll never guess what's for dinner tonight, but about the wine to pair it with... well tonight I've decided to open a bottle of a perennial favorite Zinfandel, the 2015 Forgeron Cellars Zinfandel.  This wine is produced from 100% Zinfandel sourced from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.  I've read a little about Zinfandel and how the large clusters of grapes tend to ripen unevenly, making this a challenging wine to make well, but when it's done right it's hard to resist!

This wine is a lovely deep garnet color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of tobacco, licorice, mocha and smoke, just what you'd expect.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit, with undertones of fig and smoke that transitions effortlessly to some notes of mocha and spicy clove and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, providing for a wonderfully long and smooth dry finish with a reprise of tartness at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's one of my favorite Zinfandel's year in and year out.  And it's not your typically jammy Zinfandel, but more elevated.  This wine would pair so well with barbecue, pizza or tacos, which is what I'm having tonight, wonderfully blackened walleye for fish tacos with black beans and edamame corn salsa, all on my new taco plates!  Cheers!

2014 Forgeron Primitivo

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  I'm not sure I've ever posted on this most famous Mexican holiday, so here goes nothing!  Tonight I've decided to open a wine that I really liked when it came to the 2013 Vintage (see here) and since the 2014 recently arrived in a wine club shipment I couldn't wait to try it, the 2014 Forgeron Primitivo.  The wine is primary Primitivo (92%) from the Stone Tree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope, but this year, they added a bit of Zinfandel (8%) from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA to mellow the wine a bit, so let's see how this vintage stacks up!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a lovely combination of leather, blackberry and anise, soft and velvety.  The taste is a rush of rich black fruit up front, blackberry, black cherry and plum that transition nicely to some notes of black pepper spice and a reprise of anise midpalate.  The finish is quite smooth and luxurious, the tannins are rounded making for a less abrupt finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a great effort, but I have to admit I really enjoyed the 2013 vintage more.  This wine would pair well with a nice spicy pasta or pizza, but since it's a Mexican holiday, I'm enjoying it tonight with some wonderful tacos filled with pork chorizo and refried beans, topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and chipotle pepper sauce, the wine complements the spiciness so well!  Cheers!

2013 V. Sattui Family Red Wine

Happy Tuesday!  Man how the weather can change, it has been hot and dry and we desperately needed rain (my grass and bushes were suffering severely!) but now it's rained the last three days and turned markedly cooler, the high today was only 48 and it was down in the 30s last night!  Oh well, that means it's a good time to open a nice bottle of red wine, and tonight it's the 2013 V. Sattui Family Red wine from Napa Valley, a blend of mainly Zinfandel with a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a nice deep garnet color in the glass,  The nose is chock full of green grass, ripe berries and some earthy peat and oak.  The taste is quite nice, with a rush of black fruit up front, blackberry, cherry and plum that transitions nicely to some notes of spice box and pepper.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, but the wine still has a nice, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, it's a nice everyday wine that's a decent value at about $20.  With the Zinfandel component, this wine would pair well with many summer dinners, from barbecue to burgers to pizza, but tonight I'm enjoying it with a rare grilled New York Strip with grilled leeks, haricots verts almondine and some couscous.  Cheers!

2012 Forgeron Columbia Valley Zinfandel

Happy Sunday!  It finally rained today, my lawn has been in terrible need of rain, and of course that meant I couldn't do many outdoor chores today.  So instead I spend the afternoon doing laundry and picking up around the house, so mostly just relaxing!  And now it's getting to be Sunday supper time, which means it's about time to open a bottle of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2012 Forgeron Columbia Valley Zinfandel, a wine I've had in the cellar for a little while, and since Marie Eve and the folks at Forgeron do such a nice job with Zinfandel and Primativo, I can't wait to try it.

The wine is a lovely deep garnet color in the glass, classic for a nice Zinfandel.  The nose is filled with leather, smoke and an edge of earthiness.  The taste is just perfect, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front, blackberry and plum, with a hint of fig that blankets your palate.  The flavors transition nicely to some rustic mineral notes and hints of mocha and mint midpalate.  The finish is lively, with some spice at the end and wonderfully integrated tannins supporting the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's been a while since I've had a Zinfandel this nice and sophisticated, as opposed to a jammy fruit bomb.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic pairing with Kansas City barbecued baby back ribs, grilled corn on the cob and fresh cole slaw.  Zinfandel is so yummy with barbecue and it just seems like summer has come early.  Cheers!

2014 Forgeron Zinfandel

Happy Selection Sunday!  Now that all the NCAA seeding is complete, we can get down to business, and enjoy a bottle of wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2014 Forgeron Zinfandel, a 100% Zinfandel from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills.  This was a recent delivery from the Forgeron wine club so let's see how it is!

The wine is a lovely, bright ruby color in the glass.  The nose is a wonderful combination of leather, spice, boysenberry jam and clove with just a bit of earthiness.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit up front, blackberry and boysenberry, that transitions nicely to some notes of dark chocolate, tobacco and pepper spice.  The finish is very nice, with balanced tannins providing a nice base for the long, dry and very smooth finish that leaves you thinking about your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a really nice example of a varietal that can be difficult.  This Zinfandel would pair well with a variety of dishes, from a London broil to a smoky barbecue, but tonight I am going a different route.  My local market had red, yellow, green and orange peppers on sale today for 2 for $1 so I decided to make my mom's old recipe for stuffed peppers!  The richness of the peppers with a bit of spice in the sauce and creamy mozzarella melted on top makes an ideal pairing for this wine.  Cheers!

2013 Masterpiece Vineyards Russian River Valley Zinfandel

Do you know what day it is?  That's right, it's hump day, a perfect time to open a nice bottle of wine to celebrate the week being half over,  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of this month's office wine selection that I bought last month from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2013 Masterpiece Vineyards Russian River Valley Zinfandel!  You know I love Zin, and I'm a sucker for classic paintings on wine labels (this one is Manet's The Plum) so let's see what this one has to offer.

The wine is a lighter ruby color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose presents aromas of of leather, oak, blackberry and a hint of white floral notes.  The flavor is somewhat more elevated for a typical Zinfandel, with some lovely red fruit notes, blackberry, strawberry and plum that transition to some lovely mineral notes and black pepper spice midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with young but firm tannins supporting the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's still a little young but drinking quite nicely, and it was a great bargain at just $13.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steaks and chops, to barbecue and pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a panko crusted baked chicken breast along with some broccoli tossed with linguine, garlic and olive oil.  Cheers!

2013 Forgeron Zinfandel

Oh happy Monday!  I just returned from the gym and now I'm ready for a glass of wine before dinner.  Tonight I've decided to help celebrate Washington Wine Month with a bottle of 2013 Forgeron Zinfandel (and you know how I love a good Zin!).  This wine is a blend of Zinfandel from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills (83%) and Primitivo from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of cedar, anise, clove and allspice with an underlying layer of black fruit.  The taste is lovely, with a rush of ripe fruit up front, plum, blackberry and cassis, that transition nicely to some mineral and spice notes intermingles with cocoa powder midpalate.  The finish is quite rustic, with supple tannins supporting a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.  This is way beyond the fruit bomb style of many Zinfandels, this one is well structured and well thought out in blending.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's one of my all-time favorite Zinfandels from the Columbia Valley.  Although I'm enjoying this wine with leftovers tonight, it would pair very nicely with a variety of easy favorites, from grilled steak to pizza to barbecued ribs.  Cheers!

2012 Eminent Archon Zinfandel

Happy Saturday!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of our latest wine club selection, the 2012 Eminent Archon Zinfandel.  Now this Zin came from one of my favorite areas for the varietal, Lodi, California, so let's see if it lives up to its appellation!

The wine is a nice garnet color in the class with nice clarity.  The nose presents an intriguing combination of floral aromas along with ripe berry fruit, blackberry, black plum and cherry intermingled with lilac and hibiscus.  The taste is somewhat flat, with a bit of fruit up front that quickly gives way to a wave of pepper spice and smoke midpalate.  The finish is subdued, as the fruit just seems to fade away into the sunset.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, it's nothing spectacular but a decent zinfandel, particularly given the price, as I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out for just $10.  Zins are usually my go to wines for things like barbecue as the smoke seems to complement it well, but tonight I am enjoying this wine on taco night!  Yes, plain old beef tacos with a bit of pineapple habanero salsa, veggies and sour cream, yum!

2013 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel

Happy Friday!  Tonight I'm opting for the lowest maintenance dinner I could find, but what wine to pair with it?  I think I know, so I'm opening a bottle of 2013 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi, one of my favorite AVAs for Zinfandel!

The wine is a nice bright ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of strawberry, blackberry, smoky bacon and cocoa powder.  The taste is classic Lodi old vine Zinfandel with flavors of ripe fruit up front, blackberry, cassis and cherry that transitions to some lovely notes of smoky oak and black pepper midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat rustic, supporting the long, smooth and smoky finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's not a knock your socks off sort of wine, but it's a solid example of the varietal and a solid value at $13!  This was an office wine club selection, and I've had a number of people tell me they taste a lot of bacon in this one, I will admit it's quite smoky, perhaps with some pork in there, but that's what makes a nice Lodi Zinfandel perfect for barbecue!  Alas, my low maintenance dinner tonight isn't barbecue, but pizza!  Again, some folks find it tough to pair a wine with barbecue or pizza, but for me I just reach for a nice Zin!  Cheers!