What is Zinfandel?
Zinfandel: From Croatian Cliffs to Californian VineyardsZinfandel, or ‘Zin’ as it’s affectionately known, has long been celebrated as America’s grape. Its deep red hues and robust flavors have become synonymous with …
Zinfandel: From Croatian Cliffs to Californian VineyardsZinfandel, or ‘Zin’ as it’s affectionately known, has long been celebrated as America’s grape. Its deep red hues and robust flavors have become synonymous with …
Can you believe it? Let’s all welcome the cloned children of Jackass Vineyard.Allow me to explain, Jackass is a vineyard that was planted in the late 19th century in the Russian …
Ottimino was established in 1999 by Brad Alper and William Knuttel. Their first bottling was from the Ranch Bello vineyard. This is Alper’s winery in many ways, but Knuttel is the name that makes …
A Little About ZinNo matter its pedigree, Zinfandel is big, dumb, and fun. Â I don’t mean that in a pejorative way. There should always be a place for fun. This is …
Judging wines isn’t a linear job. It’s not really about grading all wines as a spectrum of quality. We don’t judge a Red Zinfandel from Russian River next to a bottle …
Paso Robles is a huge AVA, with over a half-million acres of vines. Huge wineries like  J. Lohr, Treana, and Meridian dominate the region. However, in the cooler hills on the westside of …
If you drink Zin for its delightful complexity, you aren’t thinking straight. Zinfandel –despite its pink alter ego– is a major badass. This bottle is in keeping with such a reputation. …
A definite must-buy for Zin drinkers. Dense and full-bodied, the wine uncorks with an explosion of deep black fruit and freshly roasted coffee beans. Rich but soft tannins carve out a …
Blood-colored with a brick-like rim, this wine shows a nose of rich, ripe blue and blackberries, the expected zinfandel spice, and something almost nutty. The palate is chewy and delicious, with …
Blueberries and spice and everything boozy and nice, right? I mean, that’s Zinfandel, isn’t it?Well, not always. Last weekend during a wine class, we tasted a most unusual Zinfandel–the Glaymond 2003 …
The aroma of spicy, peppery raisins soaked in Dr. Pepper, but in a good way. This is classic, peppery California zinfandel, yet the blue fruits of the 7% Petit Sirah add …
A no-nonsense party wine. I would go so far as to say this was a gummi bear riding a licorice stick down a boozy river.
Classic aromas of peppercorns and crushed, ripe red berry fruit, followed by a mid-palate rich with the flavors of figs and dark berries. Despite all this richness and depth, though, it’s …
This is a purplish wine with hints of brown, and the deep colors perhaps serve to prepare you for the rich and almost heady experience that follows. The nose is somewhat …
Say “Zinfandel,” and most people will immediately think of California. But Australia is also home to some great examples of the grape variety. This one, from Barossa Valley, shows all the …
Soft & fleshy with a core of fresh raspberries and a grapey nose of black pepper. An excellent value for zin.