WINES
OF
THE WEEK

By Chuck Hill

About Chuck
 

Wines of the Week Archive
Archived October 20, 2011
Originally Published October 10, 2011

Zinfandel... A Wine for the Dogs
- Special Report
Part 1 of a 3-Part series (See Part 2) (See Part 3)
By Chuck Hill

Hot Dogs, that is.  In my annual quest to find a culinary home for Zinfandel, the mighty tube steak is once more on the grill, being warmed and lightly browned for its destination alongside a flight of tasty Zins.

About the wine, so much has been said and researched and rehashed that we now consider Zinfandel and Primitivo to be the same grape - perhaps just clonally different.  But this year we tracked down enough Primitivo examples that they have the stage next week.  I digress.

If you're going to have a hot dog, you deserve to have the best.  We did all the tasting for you, and we can absolutely report that Nathan's (#1) and Hebrew National All Beef (#2) are the best.  Some of the rest give you added salt, added color, lots of garlic salt, nitrites, slimy texture and weird flavors that are unidentifiable.  So spend the extra dollar or two and get the best, it makes a difference.

That said, Zinfandel is a fun wine to have with hot dogs.  Most examples are bright, fruity, jammy and hide their usually high alcohol content well... until it's time to drive home. This is a good time to put in a plug for designated drivers, or to the time-honored tradition of spitting out perfectly delicious wine in the name of sobriety.  Grab some Zins, grab some dogs and join in the fun.

To increase the likelihood of availability, we have included a larger percentage of California Zinfandels in these reviews than the less available Northwest Zins.

Portteus Vineyards & Winery
2008 Zinfandel
Rattlesnake Hills
$20.00

The Portteus Vineyard near Zillah is home to the first Zinfandel planted in Washington in the year 1984.  The wine offers what one experienced taster described as the "Portteus nose" - aromas of blackberry and raspberry with hints of dusty eucalyptus and herbs.  Flavors of raspberry candy, spicy cherry and toasty earth are great complements to meats from the grill and other savory fare.  Tied for first place with the following wine.

Sineann
2009 Zinfandel, Old Vine, Pines Vineyard
Columbia Valley
$39.00

For winemaker Peter Rosback, this is perhaps the most special wine he makes
out of his 30 or more bottlings from each vintage.  The fruit source is the old vine
Zinfandel from The Pines Vineyard south of The Dalles, Oregon.  This vineyard
was planted in the early 1900s and revived by manager Lonnie Wright in the
1980s.  Aromas and flavors of jammy blackberry, jammy raspberry, berry candy,
ripe plum, black pepper and tobacco offer the taster a chance to savor a rare
wine from a remarkable vineyard.

The Pines 1852
2009 Zinfandel, Estate
Columbia Gorge
$28.00

This is the same property as described above, though the fruit for this wine came from the estate Zinfandel vineyard planted in 1987.  Cuttings were taken from the old vine Zinfandel to propagate the new vines and - at 20+ years - there is a strong similarity between wines from each vineyard.  The aromas and flavors of jammy berry and plum are wrapped in notes of toasty oak with hints of herbs and floral perfume.  A very tasty food wine to accompany a lively discussion of Zinfandel over a dinner from the grill.

Angel Vine
2009 Zinfandel, Stone Tree Vineyard
Wahluke Slope
$20.00

Winemaker Ed Fus and his three angels - wife, Laureen and daughters Alex and
Morgan - moved to Oregon in 1997 to begin a search for a plot of land to plant a
vineyard.  Finding a site in Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills, the land was cleared and
Pinot Noir was planted.  While waiting for the vineyard to mature, Ed couldn't
resist his love for Zinfandel and purchased grapes from Washington vineyards to
craft this unusual-for-the-Northwest varietal.  His 2009 vintage from the Stone
Tree Vineyard shows aromas of cran-cherry, floral notes and hints of oak and
vanilla.  The palate is well balanced with cherry and berry flavors and nice acidity
to accompany your favorite grilled meats.

Westberg Cellars
2009 Zinfandel, La Paz Vineyard
Paso Robles
$22.00

With a vineyard perched above Paso Roble's Templeton Gap, and a credo of "friendly, informal and unpretentious," Tom and Peggy Westberg are nearing their 20-year celebration of beginning their dream of making wine in an area they love. The La Paz Vineyard Zinfandel offers aromas of cran-cherry, toast and vanilla with complex nuances of anise, dusty earth and black pepper.  The palate is well balanced with flavors of cherry and cranberry and spicy cedar on the finish.

Dutton Goldfield
2009 Zinfandel
Dutton Ranch, Morelli Lane
$40.00

With each partner doing his part to produce the best product, the farmer and the winemaker is a good pairing in the winery business.  Steve Dutton and Dan Goldfield respectively represent each of these occupations in the Dutton Goldfield Winery.  The story of this wine begins with the rejuvenation of an ancient Zinfandel vineyard in the Green Valley area of the Russian River Valley.  This Zinfandel from the Morelli Lane Vineyard is a wine with big fruit, balanced by restrained use of oak, that showcases the complexity of the grape and terroir.  Look for bright red and black cherry aromas with notes of floral perfume and earthy spice.  The palate is elegant and complex with cran-cherry flavors, and vanilla and spice on the finish.

Candor
Zinfandel, Lot 3
California
$18.00

This is one brand produced by Austin Hope of Hope Family Wines in Paso Robles. 
As the name implies, "Candor wines are made to showcase classic varietal flavor."  The Lot 3 designates that this wine is a blend of three vintages: 2008 (6%),
2009 (78%) and 2010 (16%).  The wine offers ripe Zinfandel fruit with aromas of
plum and cran-cherry complemented by toasty vanilla and coconut.  The palate adds black cherry, tobacco and caramel flavors for a lip-smacking finish.

Thurston Wolfe
2009 Zinfandel, Howling Wolfe
Zephyr Ridge Vineyard
Horse Heaven Hills
$20.00

Winemaker Wade Wolfe crafts his tasty Howling Wolfe Zinfandel from grapes grown at Zephyr Ridge Vineyard in Washington's Horse Heaven Hills.  Aromas of red fruits, sweet herbs, toasty oak and vanilla lead to a bright palate with flavors of raspberry candy, cherry and smoky cedar with a creamy cherry-vanilla finish - nice with gourmet hot dogs or other meats from the grill.

Renwood Winery
2008 Zinfandel, Grandpere Vineyard
Amador County
$35.00

Situated in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley of northern California, Renwood
Winery is surrounded by the rolling hills and rushing streams of California's
Mother Lode.  The winery specializes in Zinfandel crafted from local vineyards
including the estate Grandpere Vineyard which is planted own-root and
classically head pruned.  The 2008 Grandpere Zin delivers on the Zinfandel
promise of spicy blackberry, cran-cherry and pepper aromas and bramble berry
flavors with notes of vanilla and caramel.

Sbragia Winery
2007 Zinfandel, Italo's Vineyard
Alexander Valley
$28.00

Winemaker Ed Sbragia traces his Italian family roots back to 1930s California
when his father Gino and Uncle Italo planted this Alexander Valley vineyard.  The
accompanying winery succumbed to the depression, but Uncle Italo kept the
vineyard.  Sbragia's cousins asked him to crush the vineyard's grapes in 2006
and the rest is history.  Blended with 10% Carignane and 5% Petite Sirah, the
wine offers aromas of smoky blueberry and cherry, cedar and eucalyptus with
flavors of red fruits, dried plum, smoky bacon and vanilla.

Hard Row to Hoe
2009 Zinfandel
Wahluke Slope
$30.00

This wine hails from the venerable Rosebud Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope where the warming sun provides extended ripening time for heat-loving varietals like Zinfandel.  Our tasters were impressed by aromas of peppery spice, ripe cherry and dark fruits that carry over to flavors of juicy raspberry and cherry with finishing notes of menthol and toasty oak.

Troon Vineyard
2009 Zinfandel, Kubli Bench
Southern Oregon
$24.00

This annual bottling from Troon Vineyard comes from the Kubli Bench micro
climate of the Applegate Valley AVA in Southern Oregon.  The blend includes
20% Primitivo and 5% Petite Sirah.  Look for aromas and flavors of blackberry,
earthy spice, vanilla and toasty cedar.  Great with the dogs, but would be a nice
accompaniment to any meaty dish from the grill.

Pedroncelli Winery
2009 Zinfandel
Dry Creek Valley, Mother Clone
$16.00

The history of Zinfandel in this part of the Dry Creek Valley can be found with a tour of the vineyards surrounding Pedroncelli Winery.  Head-trained and hand-picked vines date from the original 1904 plantings which were cloned to expand the estate vineyards.  One-quarter acre of the "Mother Clone," 100-year-old vines remains, and the fruit is included in this blend.  The Dry Creek Valley character is
evident in both the aroma and flavor of the wine, showing raspberry, warm
spices, tobacco, cherry and black pepper with hints of cedar and vanilla.

Wilson Winery
2009 Zinfandel
Dry Creek Valley
$27.00

Wilson Winery is on the eastern edge of the Dry Creek Valley in the signature
"old tin barn" where Wilson wines are made as well as those of a growing family
of boutique wineries under the banner of Wilson Artisan Wineries.  The 2009 Dry
Creek Valley Zinfandel shows the character of the region with spicy aromas of
berry, black pepper, vanilla and hints of coffee and tobacco.  The palate shows
blackberry and blueberry with notes of baking spice and toasted oak.  For a more
intense and powerful sip, try Wilson's 2009 Estate Sawyer Vineyard Zinfandel at
$36.00.

Cline Winery
2009 Zinfandel, Ancient Vines
$18.00

Cline's oldest, most historic Zinfandel blocks in Contra Costa County provided
35% of the fruit for this wine. These vineyards were planted more than 100 years ago
by Italian and Portuguese immigrants in the area's sandy, phylloxera-resistant
soils.  Lodi fruit filled out most of the rest of the blend.  Aged in American oak, the
wine offers aromas of ripe strawberry and cherry with forward notes of coffee and
dark chocolate.  Vanilla and hints of coconut complement fruity cherry flavors on
the palate.

Sobon Family Wines
2008 Zinfandel, Amador County, Rocky Top
$17.00

Leon and Shirley Sobon founded Shenandoah Valley Wines in Plymouth, CA in
1977 as Leon transitioned from home winemaker to professional, leaving his
position as Senior Scientist at Lockheed Research Lab. Today the operation
includes three wine brands: Sobon Family Wines, Shenandoah Vineyards and
Vicious Wines (affordable varietals and table wines). Rocky Top is one of their
award-winning Zinfandel bottlings under the Sobon label.  Look for aromas and
flavors of blackberry, cherry, earthy toast and vanilla - a tasty wine for meats
from the grill.

Gnarly Head
2009 Zinfandel, Old Vine
Lodi
$11.00

Taking its name from gnarled, 35 to 80 year-old, head-trained vines, Gnarly Head Zinfandel is ripe and fruity and among the best values in California Zin.  The 2009 Gnarly Head Zinfandel is sourced throughout the Lodi region - an area with an ideal climate for growing classic Old Vine Zinfandel grapes.  Look for juicy cherry-berry aromas with a tangy palate showing flavors of cran-cherry, black pepper and toasty vanilla.

Guglielmo Winery
2008 Zinfandel
Santa Clara, California
$22.00

Dating back to the end of prohibition, Guglielmo Winery and estate vineyards
were founded by Italian immigrant Emilio Guglielmo in 1925.  Since then, two
generations of the family have kept the property in operation to this day, making
wine from 100 acres of Santa Clara AVA estate vineyards and purchased grapes
from other areas.  This estate Zinfandel offers aromas of blackberry, cassis and
vanilla with hints of coffee and tobacco.  Plum and strawberry flavors lead the
palate with a finish of toasty oak, vanilla and plum.

Kokomo Winery
2008 Zinfandel, Winemaker's Reserve
Dry Creek Valley
$32.00

The fruit for this wine came from Timber Crest Vineyards on the east side of the
Dry Creek Valley.  Aromas of dark cherry and spice are complemented by notes
of smoky bacon and earthy herbs.  Intense flavors on the palate include
blackberry candy, pepper, caramel and vanilla.  This is an intense wine that
needs a little more age to marry the oak character with the ripe fruit flavors.

Seghesio Family Vineyards
2009 Zinfandel
Rockpile, Sonoma County
$38.00

When the Seghesio family began planting Zinfandel in Sonoma County in 1895,
they sought out areas that would showcase Sonoma as the world's premier
appellation for Zinfandel.  The Rockpile AVA in northern Sonoma County
features vineyards at elevations of 800 to 2,100 feet with rocky soil that produces
intense and concentrated grapes.  Aromas of red fruits and spicy cherry candy
mingle with toasty oak and vanilla  The palate is long and complex with flavors of
red currant, spicy blackberry, creamy cherry and spicy cedar.

Bota Box
2009 Zinfandel, Old Vine
$20.00

When it comes to value in a juicy, spicy Zinfandel, it is hard to beat this box-wine
entry from Bota Box.  Blind tasted, it scores higher than many wines selling for
five times the equivalent price - not to mention Bota Box's environmentally green
packaging program.  Look for aromas of jammy raspberry and spicy currant
leading to flavors of ripe black cherry, strawberry, toasty oak and black pepper on
the palate.  Great with hot dogs, hamburgers and other meats from the grill.

Pedroncelli Winery
2010 Dry Rosé of Zinfandel
Dry Creek Valley
$11.00

For those who find intense red wine a little too much for their palate, Pedroncelli
offers this delightful Dry Rosé of Zinfandel.  Aromas of strawberry, red cherry and
floral perfume invite a sip revealing bright strawberry, berry and plum flavors with
notes of spice and a nice, balancing acidity.  This wine is a favorite for
accompanying any light fare, or just sipping with friends.  

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