California Red Zinfandel Tasting at Café Maxx

"Wine improves with age.  The older I get, the better I like it." - Anonymous

Of all the wines made in California, no wine is more closely associated with the Golden State than Zinfandel. Though recent DNA research places its birthplace on the shores of the Dalmation Coast of Croatia, California has long claimed Zinfandel as its own. And rightly so; by the 1870s, Zinfandel was widely planted on the steep hillsides of Dry Creek Valley. 

I know you think that I hate Zinfandel but that is not true.  It is just that if I had a choice I would rather drink: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Nero D'Avola, Sagrantino, Corvina, or Toriga Nacional.  Hey everyone is entitled to their opinions- right?  I do sell Zinfandel and I know that there are a lot of you ZIN Fans out there that covet this unique varietal’s jammy fruit and zesty spice but I am not one of you.  To prove that I am sensitive to the needs of my clientele, I will take one for the team and tonight is your chance to see me drinking and talking about Zinfandel. Chef Oliver Saucy will be sending out a few small courses to accompany the tasting wines. The fee for this event is $35 + tax, for reservations call 954-782-0606.

California Red Zinfandel Tasting at Café Maxx
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
6:30 PM

2006 Chiarello Zinfandel Giana's Vineyard Napa
List $42            Sale $37           Case $428

(91 Points)  Jammy and ripe, but remains balanced and elegant, with boysenberry and toasty vanilla aromas and complex, supple black cherry, smoky sage and spice flavors. Hint of tannins grip the finish. Drink now through 2013. 550 cases made. -TF  Wine Spectator Issue: Feb 28, 2009

2007 Selby Zinfandel Bobcat Sonoma
List $33.75       Sale $29.70      Case $344

Winery Notes: Premium hillside vineyards in Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys.  Individual bunches were selected for the most concentrated fruit and flavors. Fermented in small lots and aged in our finest oak barrels, the elusive bobcat frequents only the remote hillside vineyards that Selby prizes for our rare, hand-crafted Zinfandel. 

2005 Starlite Zinfandel Alexander Valley
List $45            Sale $39.60      Case $459

Winery Notes: The hallmark of this handcrafted wine is balance. Alexander Valley wines have a reputation for big, rich fruit flavor, and while ours is packed with wild berries, our wine maker Merry Edwards has applied her expertise with Pinot Noir to give this Zinfandel a remarkable amount of structure and elegance. The generous aroma shows rich floral scents of roses and raspberry coulis. Accents of vanillin spice, smokey oak, white pepper and cocoa bean add yet another complex dimension. In the mouth, the wine is gentle & balanced with a luscious, silky finish.

2006 Outpost Zinfandel Howell Mountain Napa     
List $37.50       Sale $33           Case $383

Winery Notes: Creating wines that express a unique sense of place is part art, part science - and pure passion. All Outpost wines are handcrafted onsite at our winery from estate grown fruit. While our primary focus is on Zinfandel, an all-American varietal, we also produce limited quantities of world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Grenache. Outpost wines are distinctively spicy, with strong hints of black and white pepper and brambly mountain fruit, with a power and complexity in keeping with Howell Mountain's reputation for producing 'big California reds

 
2007 Francis Ford Coppola Directors Cut Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley
List $19.50       Sale $17.16      Case $199

Winery Notes: Made with fruit grown entirely in the Dry Creek Valley appellation, this unique Zinfandel includes small amounts of Petite Sirah. Half of the fruit is crushed whole, and the must is fermented in open-top fermenters for maximum color extraction and flavor enhancement. The wine is aged in French oak, which adds the essence of toasted spice and French vanilla to heady aromas of rum raisin, black currant, and red cherry.

2005 Montevina Deaver Ranch Zinfandel
List $31.50       Sale $27.72      Case $321

Winery Notes: Since the Gold Rush, Amador County winemakers have been mining the rich, robust characteristics of Zinfandel, California’s heritage grape. At Montevina, our Zin happily embraces its wild-at-heart legacy. It’s fruit-forward and sassy, with irresistible cassis and pepper aromas, and lush blackberry, ripe plum and spice flavors followed by a long, smooth finish. If you’re looking for a rollicking good time on the palate, this Zinfandel is for you.