I turned in my rental car earlier and had time for lunch at Vino Volo. I chose a flight of three barbeque reds and then had an additional glass of my favorite of the three. (Ordered small portion of penne and white cheddar and smoked Gouda cheese with truffle oil and tasted bread crumbs which is my usual order at Vino Volo locations and later added a cheese plate with Manchego, raspberry Parmesan, and Brie.)
To my surprise the Zinfandel was served as the first of the trio and indeed it was lighter in body than the other two wines.
2007 Forchini Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, CA. Deep scarlet color; semi-transparent. All three wines were characterized by the restaurant as rich on a scale of light, bright, rich, or brooding. Pleasant on the nose and palate. Bramble berries and some bing cherry. Although not shy of alcohol, this came across as light-bodied. Restaurant notes describe it as exhibiting raspberry, licorice, cedar box, smoke and long spicy tannins. I didn't really find any of that except maybe the raspberry but it was my favorite of the three and the one I ordered a 5-oz. pour of to go with the cheese plate.
2005 Bai Gorri Tempranillo Crianza, Rioja, Spain.
Deeper purple color than the zin, more mouth presence as well. Lightly earthy, at a good drinking stage. Restaurant notes describe blackberry, mineral, scorched earth, with a core of red fruit and spice. I thought more of the red fruit than the blackberries--maybe red plum.
2008 Chateau des Karantes La Clape (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre), Languedoc, France.
Server said this had the most body of the three. Darkest purple color yet; opaque. Something distinctive on the nose--close to prune but not identical. All three wines drank quite smoothly. Restaurant notes on this one say plum and charred earth (what's with the scorched earth and charred earth?) plum, dried berries, cocoa powder, dried meats, and smoky earth; powerful and gripping on the finish, a muscular red.
With the cheeses, I thought the Manchego was the best match to the Zinfandel although a Spanish cheese might be expected to match well with the Rioja also.