4 Wines with Great Friends

Jonathan L. is a long-time friend from NYC from when I was just out of college and starting in the wine business (pre-law school period).  He and his wonderful wife Marge were in DC to see some sights and visit friends, and luckily we were among the targeted friends!

As we're getting older now, and have to pace ourselves (unlike those hangover-inducing Grand Cru and Port benders we'd occasionally indulge in in the early 80s), the 4 of us paced ourselves through 4 bottles over the course over 6 or 7 hours.  Here are the notes from memory.

2011 Johann W. Schild Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett -- We used this inexpensive Mosel as our "pace car" to get things going.  It's fruity, with peachy apply notes.  Not much complexity but a decent enough mid-afternoon sipper.

2010 Simonnet-Febvre Chablis Premier Cru Cote de Lechet -- Although I'm partial to Chablis that is fermented and aged in seasoned (not new) barrels, this "stainless steel only" Chablis was really nicely-cut.  Medium bodied, fragrant with brothy, wet limestoney notes, straw, and apply fruit.  Very precise, and drinking well now but could certainly go another couple of years.  

2010 Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel (Dusi Ranch) -- Dusi Ranch has, over the last 10 years, become my favorite of Ridge's stable of Zins, with its remarkable, laser-like focus and purity.  Great fragrance, texture, depth, and freshness.  Could last and improve another 2-3 years.  

2005 Ridge Montebello -- It was hard to top the Dusi ranch Zin, but this did, and easily.  Jonathan brought this from his cellar (what, you think I can afford wines like this?), and it was amazing with grilled steaks topped with chimichurri.  Great depth and length with perfect balance, this iconic Cabernet was showing well yet seemed amazingly young.  I think this wine could go on for a long, long time.

2011 Three Wine Cellars Old Vines ZINFANDEL (Contra Costa County, Cal.)

Three Wine Cellars is one of the most consistent, and consistently good, wineries out there.  They don't try to do everything, but their reds from Contra Costa County's old immigrant-planted vineyards are delicious and food-friendly.  This one is typically excellent.  Ripe, balanced, and complex (for a Zin).

Youthful, very dark blackish ruby/violet.  Really nice nose of ripe blackberry fruit, with hints of baking spices, warm sandstone, and high-toned wood smoke.  Concentrated flavors immediately grip the palate, but it's not heavy.  Rich blackberry fruit, dark minerality, and a long, clingy finish.  Full, but no alcoholic hotness despite its 15.4%.  A barely-perceptible level of very soft tannins add some nice physicality.  A-.  Drink over the next 2-3 years.  Decent acids.  Got this for $19 from wineaccess.com.

2012 Mockingbird Hill ZINFANDEL Reserve (Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California)

This wine is very young and, at present, needs a lot of time to breathe.  The first night I thought it was going to be mediocre, since it showed zero fruit and seemed to display nothing but vaguely oaky scents and alcohol.  Then I put it under a Vacu-Vin closure for two full nights and forgot about it.  I came back to it on the third day, and, in an Easter season miracle, it rose from the dead (i.e., it was a different wine altogether).  These notes are from day three.

Very dark, youthful-looking ruby.  Classic Dry Creek Valley scents of creamy, spicy black raspberry/blackberry fruit, augmented by some stony scents.  Soft, rich, and mouthfilling.  It's ripe, but not overripe, which seems to be a problem with Zins these days.  Loads of pure, ripe, dark berry fruit, and some darkly-minerally notes.  Full-bodied, and possessing loads of youthful but reasonably soft tannins.  Pure, long, juicy finish.  If you want to "pop-n-pour" this one, you're going to need to wait 2-3 years.  If you want to drink it before then, be sure to decant it (through a Vinturi) for several hours ahead of time.  B+(+).  Was $14.99 from WTSO.com, making it a pretty good value.

(Note:  Cabernet label shown, but the Zinfandel label has the same look.)

2011 Napa Wine Co. ZINFANDEL (Napa Valley, Cal.)

Organic!  I like that.  And it's a darn good Zin.  Tangy tangy tangy.  I wouldn't have been able to place it as a Napa Valley Zin if it had been served blind.  But it's got lots of character, nice texture, and would be great with Italian or Portuguese meat dishes, or grilled beef.

Very crystalline dark ruby color.  Exuberant nose was earthy and exhibited loads of tangy mixed red berries on the first night.  The earthiness was much more subdued on the second night, but the tangy berries were even tangier, and mixed with some fresh-cut herbs.  Round, vibrant, and dry in the mouth, with very nice concentration of fruit, full body, and pretty good acidity.  It weighs in at 13.9% alc., which is very low for a Zin these days.  Nice soft texture and good length.  B+.  Drink this over the next 1-2 years.  Was $19.99 from Total Wine in Fairfax.

(I remember buying a case of 1979 Napa Wine Co. Zin as a close-out in 1983 or thereabouts for about $5 a bottle at Yankee Spirits in Sturbridge, MA, and passing it out to my family.  That one was very nice as I recall.  I have not had a wine from these guys since then!)

(Sorry: 2009 depicted.)

2012 Beckley Family Vineyards ZINFANDEL "Reserve" (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

Not my style of Zinfandel.  Anymore, at least.  15 years ago, I think I liked this style a bit more.  A massively ripe fruit bomb, with low acids and a fair amount of heat in the finish.

Dark blackish ruby.  Rich nose of smoky ripe blackberry syrup and a bit of fruitcake.  Weighty but a bit dead-textured in the mouth.  Lots of low-toned blackberry ooze fruit.  No acid to speak of and very heavy body.  Fairly simple.  Here's my simile: Like drinking the liquid version of an old 20-lb. barbell you found at an estate sale of some guy who recently died at age 93.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.  Actually, there is. C-.  Was $15.99 from WTSO.com.
 

2010 Rutherford Ranch Old Vine ZINFANDEL (Napa Valley, CA)

A unique style of Zinfandel.  But it's pretty good and not very expensive.

Startling light color for a Zin.  Basically a medium light ruby.  The first night, the nose was kind of funky, throwing off some stewed prune and acetate notes.  But the next night was much better.  There was a melange of superripe blackberry, fragrant baking spices, and warm sandstone.  Full-bodied and loose-jointed in the mouth, maybe lacking a bit of focus and concentration, but with lots of minerally blackberry fruit swimming around.  A bit of heat shows through in the finish (it's 15% for Pete's sake), but it's not out of balance.  Drink over the next year.  This would be very nice with winey beef stews and pot roasts.  B/B+.  Was $14.99 at Total Wine in Fairfax.

2011 Trentadue ZINFANDEL "La Storia" (Alexander Valley, Cal.)

This is a very reticent, brooding Zin.  Unlike most Zins, this needs 2-3 years to be at its best.

Very dark violet-tinged ruby.  Low-toned nose of dark blackberry, fragrant, sweet woodsmoke, and chalk.  Mouthfilling and dense, yet with a surprisingly light mouthfeel.  Very pure, dark, monochromatic flavors of chalky, dense blackberry extract.  Loads of very soft tannin.  Finish lasts a long time.  This is all potential right now.  B+, with the potential to be an A in a couple of years.  I got this for $19 from Wineaccess.com.

2009 Mazzocco "Pony" ZINFANDEL (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

A rich, ripe, hedonistic Zin.  But not over the top.  I like it a lot.

Rich, deep, sultry dark ruby.  Richly fruity, strikingly pure nose, with loads of ultra-ripe black raspberry syrup notes, warm baking spices, and clean, stony minerals.  Concentrated, weighty, and deeply-flavored.  It's got loads of  stony mineraliness and blackberry and ripe cassis fruit. Very full bodied, and there's a bit of heat in the finish, but it's a feature, not a bug.  The finish goes on and one, with something like dry vintage port notes clinging for nearly a minute.  A very distinctive wine.  Try it with a grilled porterhouse.  A.  I don't know how much this cost.  My brother got it direct from the winery and gave it to me.

2011 Truscott "Old Vine" ZINFANDEL (Mendocino County, Cal.)

This is a very burgundian-styled (that is to say, Pinot Noir-styled) Zinfandel.  I this was served blind to me, I'd guess a solid village level wine from the Cote de Beaune or sure. Unusual, but very nice.

Light, very crystalline ruby color.  Medium intensity nose of sweet, sappy cherry, a little blackberry, dark baking spices, and a lightly-minerally note.  Mouthfilling, but light on its feet, with very Bourgogne-like flavors of dry, sappy cherry extract and light stoniness.  Very pure tasting.  Fairly full bodied, and good acidity too.  Bone dry.  Good length.  B+.  Was $15.99 from Total Wine in Fairfax, VA.  So it's a good value too.  But drink up over the next year.  It's not made to age.

2008 Talty ZINFANDEL "Estate" "William Talty Vineyard" (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

A vibrant, fruity, direct Zinfandel.  Not overblown.  Very nice on its own or with dinner.  A bit pricey though.  Surprisingly, comes in a Burgundy-shaped bottle.

Dark ruby color.  Intense, perfumey nose of spiced blackberries (like blackberry pie) and steely, stony minerals.  Soft, balanced, and quite concentrated in the mouth, with loads of fruit and minerals, and very nice acids to boot.  Full-bodied, with good length.  No great complexity of flavors, but lots of character.  B/B+.  Was $21.99 from WTSO.com.

(Sorry, 2010 shown.)

2007 Ottimino ZINFANDEL "Biglieri Vineyard" (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

Of the three Ottimino Vineyard Zins I've had (the other two from vineyards in the Russian River Valley), this is the best.    Ripe, but with claret-like structure.  Really fine.

Very dark black ruby, with just a hint of lightening at the rim.  Complex nose of pure black raspberry syrup, sandstone, and baking spices.  Ripe, yet bone dry in the mouth, with nice structure and still quite a bit of soft tannin remaining.  Lengthy, pure finish that goes on an unusually long time.  Good acids yet quite full.  This is one of the best Zins I've had in a long time.  A.  I got this over a year ago from WineAccess.com . . .  but I don't remember how much I paid (sorry!).

2009 Mazzocco ZINFANDEL "Seaton" (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

Superb example of a full-throttle style of Zin (a style that Mazzocco is known for).  Rich, ripe, extracted, but with not noticeable oak and no heat.  My brother got this direct from the winery and gave it to me, so I have no idea what it costs.

Fully-saturated black ruby with violet highlights.  Deep rich exuberant nose of rich, ripe blackberries, maple syrup, and dark stones.  Incredibly rich fruit slams the palate, initially making a fleeting port-like impression and then resolving into ridiculously pure, ripe fruit.  Very concentrated, with a dense texture, but with very little noticeable heat despite its 16.2% alcohol.  Slightly low but still OK acids, this wine successfully walks a tightrope between extraordinary ripeness and over-blownness.  All it lacks is a bit more complexity.  A-.  

2010 Shenandoah Vineyards ZINFANDEL "Special Reserve" (Amador County, Cal.)

A terrific value Zinfandel.  Not a monster, but balanced, deep, fruity, and fresh.  A utility infielder comfortable in many contexts and with a wide variety of meals.

Dark ruby with a violet tinge.  Bright, lightly-spiced nose of black cherry and blackberry, along with a whiff of fruitcake and warm sandstoney gravel.  Nicely-concentrated, with full body and loads of clean, deep fruit in the fore-palate, with sweet dried cherry and sandstone in the long, lightly tannic finish.  Lacking that extra depth and complexity to catapult it into the elites, it's still and very nice B+.   Was $10.99 at Total Wine in Fairfax, VA.

2009 Wine Guerrilla "Harris-Kratka Vineyard" ZINFANDEL (Alexander Valley, Cal.)

Atypical for an Alexander Valley Zin, but really good!  I usually expect Alexander Valley Zins to be loamy/earthy and have sultry, low-toned ripe fruit.  This one is big and athletic, with surprisingly good acidity.  It still needs a year or two to settle down.

Almost fully-saturated black ruby.  Big nose of tangy, ripe blackberries and a resiny earthy note.  Mouthfilling and muscular, this wine has both very full body and tangy acidity, along with some noticeable tannin, giving it a very youthful, disjointed mouthfeel at present.  But it is very concentrated and long in the mouth, with tangy ripe black raspberry fruit and lots of clean, stony minerality.  Very very good.  A- now, with the possibility of a full "A" in a year or two.  Was $26.99 from Winex.com.

BTW, I haven't had anything but exemplary Zins from this Zinfandel specialist.  Their wines are always worth trying, in my view.

2010 Three Vineyards ZINFANDEL "Live Oak Vineyard" (Contra Costa County, Cal.)

From the last few remaining 125+ yr.-old ungrafted vines in this largely uprooted vineyard, this wine has a plush texture, and an intense concentration of flavor that is out of proportion to its weight (which is not heavy).  Very unique.  And really really good.

Nearly fully-saturated dark ruby violet.  Intense, nearly pungent boysenberry fruit, stony minerals, and bitter herbs leap out of the glass.  Intense, focused fruit immediately coats the mouth, with loads of mixed berry and berry skin flavors, and lots of high-toned minerality.  No discernable oak to obscure this tremendous character of the old vines and unique soil.  Full-bodied, with pretty decent acids.  Very long, pure finish.  Just outstanding to sip on its own, it would also complement a wide variety of dishes and cheeses.  A.  Was $27 from WineAccess.com, but obviously worth the  high (for me) price.

2008 Saddleback Cellars ZINFANDEL "Old Vines" (Napa Valley, Cal.)

A big, dark low-toned, intensely-flavored, and significantly-oaked Zinfandel.  Not my favorite style, but still, very well done.

Fully-saturated, plasma-like, black ruby-crimson.  Low-toned nose of smoky sandstone and earth, minerals, dark blackberry skins, and espresso roast coffee.  Dense flavors immediately coat the mouth, with chocolatey-dark berry flavors and a lot of graphite-inflected minerals.  Dense and large-boned.  Loads of soft tannin and very full body.  Drink this one in mid-winter with a winey stew and it will shine.  B+.  Was $27 from WineAccess.com.

(Sorry, 2007 shown.)

2010 Truett-Hurst ZINFANDEL "Three Vineyards Old Vines" (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

A massive, low-toned bruiser of a Zin.

Fully-saturated, black black black ruby.  Deep nose of black raspberry preserves, a tangy vegetal/rhubarby component, and dark minerals.  Huge body (the label says 15.1% alcohol), and some alcoholic heat in the finish, this is the sort of wine that needs to be drunk over the next 18 months, before the alcohol burns through the fruit.  This should go really well with hearty stews this winter.  B+.  Was $16 and change (if I'm remembering correctly) from Total Wine in McLean, VA.

(Sorry, 2006 depicted)

2009 William Knuttel "Musica Vina" ZINFANDEL (Sonoma County, Cal.)

A solid, flavorful, if not elegant, Zin.  Pretty decent value.

Nice, lively, dark ruby color.  Nose shows good blackberry/boysenberry fruit, accompanied by a note of brown sugar and a rustic, slightly scorched earthy/minerally streak.  Mouthfilling and chunky, with good flavor density.  Dusty tannin coats the mouth as low-toned, low acid blackberry skin fruit and a peaty/iodiney/irony component fill the taste buds.  Long and clingy.  It's a rustic style of Zin, and far from elegant, but it was a pretty good value at $12.99 from Wines Til Sold Out (wtso.com).  B.  Would work very well with pasta with red meat sauces or red-sauced pizza.

2008 Sausal "Century Vines" Zinfandel (Alexander Valley, Cal.)

A structured, fully mature Zin.  Not as overtly fruity or massive as one might expect from a Zin from vines that were 131 years old at harvest.  But still very good.  This is a Zin that needs grilled beef or lamb to really shine.

Dark blackish ruby-garnet color.  Not fully saturated.  Medium intensity nose of dark blackberry fruit with a slight wisp of prune, along with a low-toned minerally/graphite note.  Intensely minerally in the mouth, with a clingy, pervasive iodiney/graphite streak that fades into a slight bitterness.  There's fruit there too, in the form of blackberries macerating on their skins.  Bone dry, with a fair amount of tannin and pretty good acids.  The overall impression is that this Zin favors structure over fruit.  Grilled meat will bring the fruit out more than other dishes will.  Drink over the next 12-18 months.  B.  Was $19.99 from Wines Til Sold Out (wtso.com).

(Sorry, 2002 depicted)

2008 Beckley Family Vineyards ZINFANDEL Reserve (Napa Valley)

A really nice, structured ripe, balanced Zin.  I am not exactly sure why Napa Valley Zins tend to have a more structured, subdued, "Claret" (i.e., Bordeaux) like feel than their Dry Creek, Mendocino, Sonoma Valley, or Paso Robles counterparts, but they do.  This one has both the typical Napa structure and great Zin character.

Very dark pure, black ruby color.  The first night it was a bit closed on the nose, but two days later (sealed with a Vacu-Vin) it really blossomed.  Deep dark vibrant blackberry fruit, together with a graphite/gravelly note on the nose.  In the mouth, it explodes with flavor, coating the mouth with pure, ripe Zinfandel dark berry fruit, with a terrific sweet iron/iodiney note that expanded as the finish wore on.  Excellent structure, with a lot of fine-grained tannin and decent acidity.  This will hold and maybe even improve for another 2-3 years.  A-.  Was $14.99 from WTSO.com, making it an excellent value.