ZINFANDEL IS RIPE FOR FALL GRILLING

I wonder how many wine drinkers will say, “Zinfandel is my favorite wine.” Count me in. I just love the lively wild berry (often described as bramble) fruit, brash texture, and spicy, peppery notes. It is especially enjoyable this time of year with all manner of grilled vegetables and meats, not to mention barbecue and other spicy foods.

And while the zinfandel grape, like so many other California grapes, actually has a European origin (Croatia!), it really is one of the few that makes indisputably better wine in California than anywhere else. And it is grown successfully all over the state. As it turns out, my recent tastings yielded enough recommendations – dominated by Sonoma, with three from Napa and one each from Mendocino and the Central Coast.

Outstanding

2010 Bella Dry Creek Valley “Barrel 32” ($55) – We shouldn’t be surprised this fourteen year-old Zinfandel specialist showed so well in my tastings. Winemaker Joe Healy has access to great old zinfandel vineyards and to another Zinfandel specialist, consulting winemaker Mike Dashe. This selection of Bella’s best barrels – aged 14 months 20% new French oak is big and brash, complex and rich, with tons of deep, extracted raspberry and cherry fruit, spices and sweet oak, a firm structure, yet a polished finish; Ageable

Excellent

2010 Bella Russian River Valley “Block 10” ($45) – aged in 20% new French and American oak, very ripe and rich combination of oak and intense blackberry fruit with chocolate, cassis, and black pepper, high alcohol but tastes balanced and finishes with friendly tannins, accented with 20% petite sirah; Ageable

2010 Amapola Creek Sonoma Valley Monte Rosso Vineyards “Vinas Antiguas” ($42) – After 15 years at Chateau St. Jean overlapping with 25 years at his own Arrowood Winery, Richard Arrowood, with his wife Alis, established a vineyard and winery on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Mountains and began producing wines under the Amapola Creek label. This unfiltered and unfined wine shows the pedigree of its mountain source and 118-year-old dry-farmed vines. It is dense, with cherry and blueberry fruit, licorice oak touches, pepper and spice notes, sleek texture, and noticeable but soft tannins.

2010 Bella Alexander Valley Big River Ranch ($38) – blended with 6% petite sirah, aged 12 months in 15% new French and America oak, full, rich, ripe and concentrated, loads of sweet blackberry and cherry fruit, spicy and earthy elements, a bit rough but reveals a certain elegance a solid structure

2010 Edmeades Mendocino County ($20) – New winemaker Ben Salazar has revitalized this long time Mendocino producer that is now part of Jackson Family Wines stable. Blended with 11% syrah and 10% petie sirah, aged 16 months in 20% new French and American oak, ripe, briary, cherry, raspberry, and blackberry, hints of oak, earth, and peppery spice, high alcohol, lively acidity but plump texture and soft tannins; Great Value

Very Good

2010 Bella Dry Creek Valley Maple Vineyard ($38) – aged 12 months in 20% new French and America oak, opens with an earthy (mineral?) note, then deep black fruits, but a bit rough, though nice blackberry and strong pepper flavors with smooth tannins

2010 Paraduxx Napa Valley “Z Blend” Red Wine ($48). Twenty years ago, when Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot specialist Napa Valley’s Duckhorn Winery wanted to produce a zinfandel-based blend, they decided to create a stand-alone label and winery. Following their duck theme, they named the new project Paraduxx, with a label displaying … well, think about it. The idea was to emulate the Super Tuscan wines of Italy and the Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon blends of Australia. Z Blend fuses 63% Zinfandel with 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot to make a complex, robust wine with the briary personality of Zinfandel and tannic structure of Cabernet.

2010 Paraduxx Napa Valley “C Blend” Red Wine ($52) – This flips the focus with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Zinfandel, the power and herbaceousness of Cabernet compliments Zinfandel’s bright fruit, spice and broad palate.

2010 Dry Creek Vineyards Sonoma County “Heritage” ($19) – Founded in 1972 by David Stare, Dry Creek Vineyard was a pioneer of modern winemaking and viticulture in the Dry Creek Valley. Although the winery initially made its name with Sauvignon Blanc, it has recently gained much deserved attention for its Zinfandel. “Heritage” refers to the legacy of old vine budwood from Mazzoni Ranch vines in the Dry Creek Valley. Buttressed with 12% Petite Sirah, aged 14 months in 15% new French, American and Hungarian oak, this is a rustic, though easy going, expressive wine with peppery, smoky aromas and intriguing blackberry, chocolate and toast flavors buttressed with bright acidity and fresh tannins; Good Value

2010 Clos La Chance Central Coast ($15) – This twenty year old, family-owned winery produces wines from estate-grown fruit from vineyards near San Martin in Santa Clara County just east of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Blended with 11% petite sirah, aged 14 months in 20% new American oak, unfined and unfiltered. Really nice black cherry, black raspberry, and plum fruit are accented with a hint of vanilla. Fairly high alcohol, though juicy and spicy; great for everyday; Good Value.

Good

2010 Fritz Dry Creek Valley “Estate Grown” ($25) – Another family owned winery using estate grown fruit, this winery is over thirty years old. The wine is aged nine months in 30% new American oak, and is ripe and taut but a little of green, with solid acidity and tasty but somewhat shy fruit.

2011 Ranch Zabaco Sonoma Heritage Vines ($18) –This Zinfandel specialist, part of the massive Gallo family stable, has crafted a nice wine from grapes grown at three of their Dry Creek Valley vineyards. It is plump, with almost sweet black and red fruits, brown spices, and bright acidity, and is firm and spicy in the finish.