Exploring the menu of life.
I don’t hear much about Zinfandel these days, except during the annual Zinfandel Festival in nearby San Francisco. Last year, I produced a video which asked winemakers to describe their ideal Zinfandel food and wine pairings. The results were above and beyond the normal BBQ and grilled beef ... Read More »
Folie à Deux (pronounced “folee ah duh”) is one of the bigger success stories in the wine biz. Their sister label Menage à Trois sells like sex on a street corner mainly because it’s sweet, juicy and, well, the name is enticing. I doubt anyone at that winery wonders if sex sells. ... Read More »
I went to the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers Festival in San Francisco with one mission: to find out, once and for all, what food pairs with Zinfandel from the people who make the juice. This grapes is often low in tannins and acidity with a reputation for hefty alcohol… what would these ... Read More »
When people talk about “everyday” wine, I’ve sometimes wondered exactly what they mean. Is it a wine that goes with all sorts of food so it can be consumed without care? Is it a simple wine that that can appeal to many different palates? Or is it an inexpensive wine that you can ... Read More »
I was a bit hesitant to write about Quivira’s Zin that I recently tasted blind, since I reviewed the 2008 vintage in April of this year. But I thought, what the hell, they deserve to get kudos twice in one year. These guys rock the Zinfandel. And, farming biodynamically, they’re stewards ... Read More »
Dry Creek Valley grows some of the best Zinfandel in California and Quivira lies in the middle of it all. When I visited their biodynamically-farmed vineyards in Sonoma County a few years ago, I was pretty awed with everything they produced.
... Read More »The Mettler Family’s grapegrowing roots date back to the 1770’s, so they’ve had a couple of years to get the farming formula in California’s Lodi region right. Their 2007 Epicenter Zin is not a wine for those seeking light-hearted red wine. Burly, muscular, concentrated flavors ... Read More »
Not everyone can craft really tasty zinfandel. Sometimes, this varietal wine can be overly alcoholic, with fumes wafting up your nose. Other times, it’s too intense and brash like a pushy whore wearing too much makeup. Not this one.
... Read More »I’ve admired their zins for their reliably high quality and low price. This one smacks of smoky and spicy cherry, bright raspberry and a finish of leather and semi-sweet chocolate. Silky tannins. Welcome wine with any steak or BBQ. 3 stars out of 5. Sweetness=1 out of 10 (dry to
... Read More »Rich with what makes zin so scrumptious: blackberry, blueberry, earthy cocoa, white peppery spiciness, soft tannins and sweet vanilla. A big, robust wine but so smooth, the bottom of the bottle will hit you fast. Sw=2. 4 stars. $18.
... Read More »Although I admit the inane moniker almost turned me off, the wine’s opulence and robustness made up for its lack of maturity. Silky with a jammy raspberry, bittersweet chocolate, rich vanilla, leathery base, followed by earthy tobacco and strong brewed tea. Drank quite well with dinner and by ... Read More »
This family-owned boutique winery in California doesn’t make a large quantity of this truly remarkable wine (586 cases) but it’s worth the effort to find it. Chocolatey, with rich blueberry-pie-filling flavors and dried cherry. You’d think it would be cloyingly sweet with this flavor activity ... Read More »