WTN: 2005 Bogle "Old Vines" Zinfandel

2005 Bogle "Old Vines" Zinfandel

Picked up on the cheap ($11) to go with a spaghetti in chicken tomato sauce dish.

Color: Brick red.

Nose: Pumpkin, ginger bread, and cherry.

Taste: Sweet berry juice followed quickly by dried leaves. Way too sweet and juicy for my taste. Seemed to become more sweet as it set in the glass. Did not play at all well with the sweetness in the tomato sauce. Definitely a cloying, one dimensional wine. Would ante up another five bucks to get something with a bit more complexity next time.

There was a restaurant that we were prone to hang out at some years ago (long story involving close friends). This (obviously not this vintage) was the best wine in the place. No, seriously.

Tried this wine at a Nugget Market tasting last year. I caught a strong whiff of Welch's Grape Juice.

I had some of this at a Christmas party, although that was the 2004 release - and by pure co-incidence I also happened to have a bottle in the cellar. From what I recall I'd agree with much of what you said, although the wine managed enough intensity of flavour for me to offset the lack of complexity and make a worthwhile wine. It probably helped that I drank it with a hazelnut risotto, and not a sweet tomato sauce.

Perhaps it benefits from a little bottle ageing? It's also possible that the fact I'd opened the evening with several glasses of Italian fizz clouded my judgement. I'll have to pull the bottle out of the cellar and find out

My note - if you're interested:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13670

Thanks Matt. I will keep an eye out for the '04 Bogle 'Old Vines'. It's inexpensive enough that it lends itself to experimentation. I agree that my food pairing was not ideal.