Jane's Weekly Wines from the Atlanta Wine School PRINT AND GO VERSION March 9th, 2006 Zinfandels *************************************************************************************** RETAILERS WHO SUPPORT THIS COLUMN AND HAVE HAD THIS LIST OF WINES IN ADVANCE. Pearson's Wines of Atlanta, 3072 Early St Nw Atlanta, GA 30305 -- 404-231-8752 Corner Wine & Art, 1402 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30306 -- 404-875-8810 Home Town Wine & Spirits, 4856 Hog Mountain Rd, Flowery Branch, GA --770-965-6058 The Colors of Wine, 2355 Cumberland Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30339 -- 770-432-2828 Sigman Bottle Shop, 425 Sigman Road - Conyers, GA 30012 -- 770-929-8797 Shiraz, 675 Pulaski Street, Suite 400, Athens, GA 30601 -- 706-208-0010 Windward Beverage, 12915 Hwy 9, Alpharetta, GA 30004 -- 678-566-3301 IS YOUR WINE SHOP NOT LISTED HERE? HAVE THEM CALL 770-668-0435 *************************************************************************************** Clos la Chance Zinfandel 2002 El Dorado County, CA Medium-bodied dry red wine; medium-deep dark cherry red. Initial burst of nutmeg-accented berry aromas, soon settling into red raspberry aromas with a notch of coconut and aromatic fruitcake spices. Somewhat like a baking Bakewell tart. Picks up a tea note as time goes on. Spice and cherry/raspberry flavors define the palate, with black pepper a half mark of the long finish. Typical Zin alcohol at 14.5%, and finish shows some heat. But not over-extracted and possessing firm, slightly chalky tannins. Not over-the-top. American oak, 30% new, but wine is not "oaky." El Dorado County was solid Zin country early on. Rich pâté, chipotle chicken salad (Whole Foods)--superior!, pasta with portobello mushrooms (whether as salad--quite tasty--or as a hot pasta dish); lasagne, Cajun grilled chicken, beef or pork fajitas with sautéed bell peppers, onions, fresh salsa; roast pork, turkey, chicken, or duck; Prestige Wine Wholesale $16 88 ************************************************************************************* Norman "The Monster" Zinfandel 2003 Paso Robles, CA Medium-full-bodied dry red wine; translucent dark cherry red. Aromas of spice, dried dark and red fruits; flavors suggest raisins without being "raisiny," and bolster that with plenty of fresh dark fruit. Tannins are firm but not violent at all. Hefty alcohol, 15.8%, but the fruit handles it with good grace. This gets close to the "big" style a lot of Zin fans like, but still is graceful and balanced, as well as very well integrated. Have tasted "The Monster" over many vintages, and found it initially hot, then more restrained. This vintage notches back toward the bigger style just a little bit, but hangs on to the balance beam. Mostly done in tank, with some American oak staves and chips. Very, very nice work. Rich, dense pâtés, Patak's smoked liverwurst, Whole Foods' smoked mozzarella pasta salad; roast ham or grilled ham steak; braised veal steak with caramelized onions; braised short ribs with parsnip mashed potatoes; lasagna; Southern style barbecue with medium-bodied tomato-vinegar sauce; fajitas with beef or pork; roast turkey; roast Cornish hen or duck; raw milk Cheddar or other mild firm cheese, also creamy blue (Combozola), dark chocolate General Wholesale $20 89 ************************************************************************************* C. G. di Arie Zinfandel 2003 Snenandoah Valley, CA Big, full-bodied but balanced dry red wine; medium deep inky dark-cherry red. To sniff or to sip, that's the dilemma. Heavenly aromas of dark and red berries, with just a whiff of mocha-caramel-vanilla, suggesting some American oak (10% as it turns out). Beautiful palate, with well-integrated fruit/oak/tannin. Layers of flavors- -red raspberry and currant define the fruit--roll across the palate like a mighty river and just won't quit. Long, clean, fruit-filled finish. Very soft tannins. Can Zinfandel be better? I hardly think so. I even know a French sommelier who thinks this one is at the top of the game. And he's right!!! Oak program includes French and Hungarian oak along with the American. Turkish-born owner/winemaker Chaim Gur-Arieh, once a tank officer in the Israeli Army, has a Ph.D. in food science and developed your favorite kid cereal: Cap'n Crunch!!! A long way from Zinfandel. He's also developed a proprietary submerged cap fermentation method that, he says, yields this Zinfandel's characteristic easy tannins. Gorgeous work. Have tasted several vintages, and loved them all. Full-flavored foods: Spanish-style chorizo; white bean dishes; garlic-accented pasta dishes; peppered liver pŕté; raspberry-chipotle-glazed roast pork tenderloin, Cornish hen or grilled duck breast; grilled veal chop, ham or lamb steak; roast chicken; dark meat turkey or rabbit stewed with prunes and sun-dried tomatoes; mild firm but creamy textured cheeses (Caccio di Roma, Robiolo), high-cocoa d ark chocolate Grapefields $25 96 ************************************************************************************* Madrigal Family Zinfandel 2002 Napa Valley, CA Medium-bodied dry red wine; medium dark-cherry red color. Aromas of dark berries and spice, with fresh dark fruit flavors. Extremely clean sweet red raspberry-kissed fruit, with soft tannins. 14.8% alcohol, but totally no sense of it in the nose or finish. Gorgeous balance. No palate fatigue here! Just judiciously delicious. Lovely fruit-filled finish. Just 3% Petite Sirah blended in. 100% American oak barrels (half new and half two- and three-year-old barrels), but only slightly hinted at in a bit of coconut in the finish that shortly disappears. A new personal favorite. Patak's smoked liverwurst (unbelievably good!0, smoked meats, grilled or smoked sausage, chorizo, pasta dishes with assertive garlic, game, braised short ribs with parsnip mashed potatoes; braise pork chop; stews; roast chicken or duck; Cornish game hens; stews; grilled lamb steak or veal chop, mildly flavored firm raw milk cheeses; very dark chocolate Medusa Vineyards $28 95 ************************************************************************************* Fanucchi Vineyards "Old Vines" Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard Zinfandel 2000 Russian River Valley (Sonoma CO.), CA Full-bodied dry red wine; translucent ruby red. Positively heady aromas, focused on dark cherry, spice red raspberry and plum. Beautiful dark fruit flavors, with spice and silky tannins. Extraordinary. You can sip this again and again and again, without suffering palate fatigue. Typical Zin alcohol, 14.9%. Mostly done in French oak, 27% American oak, but much of it used barrels, so oak is neutral. Pronounced fan-U-key, the Italian way. Peppered liver pâté, and probably also peppered tuna and steak au poivre; chipotle chicken salad; potrobello mushroom pasta, whether hot pasta or cold pasta salad; fajitas with beef or pork; braised garlic-studded short ribs of beef, pork steak; veal roast with caramelized onions; barbecue; grilled sausages; salami; chorizo; creamy blue cheese (Combozola--awesome!), raw milk Cheddar; dark chocolate United Distributors $34 95 ************************************************************************************* Dashe Late Harvest Zinfandel 2004 Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma County), CA Full-bodied sweet (12% residual sugar) red wine; opaque dark red. Aromas of dark dried fruits, reminiscent of raspberry liqueur, with suggestion of sweet wet freshly mowed grass lingering under a warm sun. Intense raspberry flavors, almost like a framboise but holds back just a bit, making it actually easier to enjoy. Nice acidity runs through it. One sip compels another. Positively addictive. From the Meeker Ranch, old vines, in northern Sonoma County. Good interim term cellaring potential. Layered, distinctive, complex. Dry Creek Valley is known for its excellent Zins, and Dashe is a Zin specialist. Harvested in October, the grapes were wrinkled but not raisined. This is just the winery's third vintage of tricky-to-produce LH Zin. Unfiltered, so consider decanting. Dark chocolate, of course, dark chocolate Madeleines, dark chocolate-dipped red fruits; spice cake; semi-soft mild cheeses, such as Cascio di Roma or creamy blues such as Combozola. Might like to drizzle some over plain cheesecake. Prestige Wine Wholesale $24/375 91