WTN: Zins

[Jenise]

Our neighborhood group tasted six zinfandels the other night. I basically liked the first two but not the last four. In order of favorites:

2005 Shooting Star zinfandel, Mendocino, $13
Zesty red fruit with red licorice and a lot of complex and appealing spice. Aromatic and clean on the palate, almost pinot-like. 49 out of 52 voters put this in their top three, and 23 chose it for first place (including me). Quite a landslide, and I've never received more phone calls in the next couple days asking where to buy a wine.

2005 Seghesio Old Vine Family Vineyard zinfandel, Sonoma, $30
Big thick nose, deep color, lots of raspberries, a bit of bramble, hot, bright and young. Needs time.

2006 Cline Ancient Vines zinfandel, $16
Pretty zin nose with a little caramel but with an offputtingly easy texture, seemingly no tannins whatsoever. Based on previous Cline AVs, I thought this wine had a reasonable chance of getting the kind of response the Shooting Star did, but no. I can't even believe it got 3rd place. My 5th, and only because there was a worse candidate for 6th.

2005 Forgeron zinfandel, Washington state, $32
The winery says: "The aromas are intense with licorice, blackberries, cloves and white pepper. In the mouth, cherry compote and blackberry...long spicy finish...huge favorite among those in the know...." My notes said: Piney nose, must be American oak. Full-bodied. Not impressed." And I was sorry, too, as I've really liked Forgeron wines. But zin? No, it's yet more evidence that this grape doesn't belong up here.

2005 Artezin (Hess Collection), Mendocino, $15
Raspberry pudding--decent wine, but briarless and monotone, no zin attitude.

2003 Beringer zinfandel, Clear Lake $15
Jammy raspberry and blackberry spice with cedar and a hint of pepper. Very good at first, and then it turns nasty, developing flavors variously called vinyl and propane fuel. We had four bottles open and all showed this way. I had reviewed this wine more positively a few weeks ago, but we must have finished it before the gremlins came out.

Jenise, good notes as usual. I tasted an Old Vines Zin from Seghesio and found it very very oaky.

[Jenise]

Jenise, good notes as usual. I tasted an Old Vines Zin from Seghesio and found it very very oaky.

I don't think they're shy about oak at Seghesio--that would be the "thick" part of my description above. I think in time it will integrate and this will be a better wine but it's not right for near-term drinking.

"Propane"! That's a new one on me as far as wine descriptors go. Since propane is odorless on it's own, I guess we'd be talking about the stinky stuff that's added to propane? But I can't imagine that being even close to "vinyl". I guess as descriptors go, this one doesn't give me much information. In the end, I suppose it doesn't matter since, however you cut it, the Beringer sounds like a wine to be avoided.

[Jenise]

"Propane"! That's a new one on me as far as wine descriptors go. Since propane is odorless on it's own, I guess we'd be talking about the stinky stuff that's added to propane? But I can't imagine that being even close to "vinyl". I guess as descriptors go, this one doesn't give me much information. In the end, I suppose it doesn't matter since, however you cut it, the Beringer sounds like a wine to be avoided.

'Vinyl' was my choice, and Jim who is a chemist agreed with that for the (sp?) diacetyl component. But at other tables, "propane" and "fuel" were the descriptors of choice, so I mentioned both.

'Vinyl' was my choice, and Jim who is a chemist agreed with that for the (sp?) diacetyl component. But at other tables, "propane" and "fuel" were the descriptors of choice, so I mentioned both.

Diacetyl smells like butter, Jenise. In fact, it's the artificial butter flavor used on popcorn.

Mark Lipton

Diacetyl is one of the by products of MaloLactic fermentation. Lots of wines that you drink go through MaloLactic fermentation and it is the Diacetyl that gives some Chardonnays that buttery flavor.

Now the propane descriptor makes me think it is a sulfide problem. I'm forgetting right the right names for those compounds but I believe one of them is added to natural gas so that when there is a leak people can smell the gas and know to do something about it.

Beringer is one of our sister wineries. It is sad to hear that the wine isn't doing so well.

[Jenise]

Diacetyl smells like butter, Jenise. In fact, it's the artificial butter flavor used on popcorn.

Mark Lipton

Damn, you caught me repeating without thinking! I mean, I knew that! It's nice having an oenochemist in the house.

Another review of a less-than-spectacular Seghesio. And remarkably expensive, too! What you've described is more like a $15 bottle.
In the mid 90s, when Seghesio's "Old Vines" was selling for around $15, I thought it was pretty good but needed time in bottle, and I really their cheapest "blue capsule" Zin at around $12. Yes, ripe and oaky, but with a good liveliness.

Then in the early 2000's, the wines just changed. The prices went up 50%, and the oak did, too, and the character became very overwrought. It's been a couple of years now since I've had any Seghesio in my stash, and I used to have easily half a dozen bottles.

BTW, I had a pretty decent bottle of Kunde "Estate" Zin tonight that probably sells for about $15 - I paid $36 at a restaurant.

Fashions, winemakers, and my tastes all change. <g>

The stuff they add to propane and other such fuels is usually a mercaptan.

-Paul W.

Odd choices Jenise,

I myself am an avid Zinfandel hater, but there are certainly more interesting wines out there (Ridge, Green and Red -which by the way makes me re-think my hatred.) Most of those tasted seem to be a bit corporate and poster children for why I hate Zinfandel in the first place (and does Zinfandel really belong ANYWHERE, much less WA?) Was there a price limit?

[Jenise]

Odd choices Jenise,

I myself am an avid Zinfandel hater, but there are certainly more interesting wines out there (Ridge, Green and Red -which by the way makes me re-think my hatred.) Most of those tasted seem to be a bit corporate and poster children for why I hate Zinfandel in the first place (and does Zinfandel really belong ANYWHERE, much less WA?) Was there a price limit?

Not really a price limit, but an availability issue. We need five bottles for our tastings, and sometimes we can't get five bottles of one wine. I previewed a 2005 Roshambo, for instance, from Dry Creek Valley. Loved it, but couldn't get five more. Also previewed the available Rosenblums and didn't like them enough to use them. Didn't preview the Forgeron, but expected to like it more based on how/who recommended it and my experience with other Forgeron wines. I otherwise wouldn't have chosen a Washington zin based on examples I've had from Porteus, Maryhill and Columbia Winery.

I otherwise wouldn't have chosen a Washington zin based on examples I've had from Porteus, Maryhill and Columbia Winery.

At a wine event in Woodinville I once met the winemaker from Waving Tree, a smallish outfit down near Maryhill. They actually made a relatively attractive and nicely-priced Sangiovese, btw. When he learned from our conversation that I'd spent time in Zinfandel country, he started asking questions. It seemed he was bound and determined to grow Zin in WA. My question was "why?".

It seemed he was bound and determined to grow Zin in WA. My question was "why?".

What was his response?

It seemed he was bound and determined to grow Zin in WA. My question was "why?".

What was his response?

It was just something he wanted to try. Despite the lack of success with the variety by other WA winemakers, I guess hope springs eternal

It seemed he was bound and determined to grow Zin in WA. My question was "why?".

What was his response?

It was just something he wanted to try. Despite the lack of success with the variety by other WA winemakers, I guess hope springs eternal

I would think that WA winemakers would have more success with the other 'Z'; Zweigelt!

Jenise wrote......2005 Seghesio Old Vine Family Vineyard zinfandel, Sonoma, $30
Big thick nose, deep color, lots of raspberries, a bit of bramble, hot, bright and young. Needs time.

I tried this wine today at the California Wine Show and agree with these notes.
I spoke to the agent about that `04 I experienced last year (and posted here). At least this `05 has something going for it (down the road).
I did taste an excellent `06 Rockpile Zin from Seghesio which was very good IMO. $26Cdn, not bad price

When Jed Steele was in NC for the Triangle Wine Experience, I purchased a bottle of one of his Mendocino Zins and had him autograph the bottle. It may have been the one from Pacini Vineyard which I have liked in the past or from Du Pratt Vineyard. I haven't had the Shooting Star but find a "Pinot-like character" in the Catfish Zinfandel from Lake County (Jed OTOH calls it "claret-like".)