Category: Zinfandel

Old vines, Red wine, Russian River, Sonoma, Zinfandel

Mara Reserve Zinfandel Dolinsek Ranch 2005

Vera C.

Winemaker: Charles Mara
Grape: 100% Zinfandel
Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California

One of my favorite people to work with, Charles Mara, has a huge personality when it comes to wine. Well, that’s not completely true – when it comes to anything. He is funny and entertaining when it comes to wine judging, production or personal presentation of his wines. This Professor of Oenology is striving to make the best possible Zinfandel out of his Napa vineyards.And the results of his “healthy obsession with big wines” are showing great year by year. Never heard of him? Perhaps because the production of his wine is extremely low so his Zinfandels are not found in every wine store.Talking about boutique winery… This small, five-acre vineyard is owned and farmed by Jim Dolinsek and the production averages 350 or so cases of wine. Very low yields (less than 1/2 ton per acre) produces fruit with huge concentration and intensity. Dolinsek vineyard, more than 100 years old, produces variety of wonderful wines, not just zinfandel.Both Charles’ vineyards Dolinsek and Luvisi Ranch are located in the valley that produces some of the world’s best wines. His dream is to produce Zinfandel that “will drink and keep like Brunello” . The intensity and deep flavors are already there. His personal attention to the winemaking process and selection of intense grapes makes it possible.

Robert Parker said about this vintage:
Proprietor Charles Mara’s performance with these two 100% Zinfandels is exemplary. My favorite is the 2005 Zinfandel Dolinsek from Russian River. One of the vintage’s most complete and flavorful Zins, it offers up aromas of red and black fruits, underbrush, pepper, earth, and spice. This rich, full-bodied wine is an amazing achievement in this difficult vintage. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. Rated 91

Tasting notes:
As always, Mara’s Dolinsek Ranch Zinfandel has a deep ruby, almost purple color that you don’t want to spill on your white shirt. Lovely aroma of ripe dark fruit, raspberry and black cherry, even ripe plum on the nose. On the palate it’s a rich, full body flavor with spicy notes like tarragon and a lot of fruit expression.

Dusty cacao or chocolate flavors on the finish, combined with a fine vanilla touch of American oak. This is a huge, masculine wine that needs to be decanted to fully enjoy. Just like Charles Mara always says: decant your wine so that the first glass taste like the last one.

Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: around $ 35.00

Ideal food pairing:
grilled beef, barbecue meats, goulash, Flank steak with shitakee sauce, Beef Chorizo, My best Chili recipe and many more

California, Old vines, Red wine, Zinfandel

Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2008

Vera C.

Winemaker: Charles G. Tsegeletos
Grape: 100% Zinfandel
Region: Carneros, California

See other wines from this producer:
Cline Cashmere

Cline to me is probably the most significant producer of Zinfandel in California.
Fred Cline, in honor of his grandfather, first founded Cline Cellars near Oakley, California in 1982. Here, he preserved and restored many ancient vine sites to their best potential as premier California vine sites.

Cline family relocated the winery from Oakley to Carneros region of Sonoma in 1991 to a beautiful, 350-acre estate. This region, mainly known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot was another inspiration for Fred Cline. He planted a typical Rhône varietals including Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne here.

Grapes for Cline’s 2008 Ancient Vines Zinfandel were harvested primarily from Lodi and Oakley. Over 20 percent cames from the oldest, most historic Zinfandel blocks in Oakley, Contra Costa County. These grapes were originally planted by Italian and Portuguese immigrants in the sandy, phylloxera-resistant soils more than 100 years ago. These old vines produce stunning concentrated fruit year after year.

Zinfandel from Lodi (57% of blend) came from historic vineyards along the delta waterways. The rest of the blend was carefully selected from prized vineyards in Mendocino, Sonoma, and Lake County. Individual lots of Zinfandel were harvested separately by hand, as they ripen. They were de-stemmed and very gently crushed, leaving some whole berries in the must, contributing to a rich fruit character.

The “must” (grape juice, skins and seeds) were then fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks to extract rich flavors and excellent color. After the fermentation the wines were pressed and aged in American oak for approximately 7 months.

Tasting notes:
Another rich, concentrated Zinfandel that is worth to try! Bright ruby red color and great aroma of ripe dark fruit, dark cherries and chocolate. On the palate really smooth, pleasant fruit bomb, with soft tannins and big body. Pleasant, bittersweet chocolate finish.

 

Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: around $ 18.00

Ideal food pairing:
grilled beef, Beef brisket with roasted grapes, barbecue meats, goulash, Flank steak with shitakee sauce, Beef Chorizo, My best Chili recipe and many more

California, Red wine, Zinfandel

Artezin 2008

Vera C.
Artezin 2008Winemaker: Randle Johnson
Grape: 91% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah
Region: Amador, Mendocino and Sonoma County, California

Hess Collection winery, a significant Napa Cabernet Sauvignon producer, came out with their first Zinfandel release few years back. I remember tasting this first vintage with its winemaker, and I still see his face full of excitement. It was a huge hit among us, the wine sales crowd, and our customers as well. I think Zinfandel was a grape that was poking Randle for quite some time, until he finally accepted the challenge.

The result was a wonderful, full bodied Zinfandel, full of classic jammy fruit seasoned with spicy tones like nutmeg or black pepper. The first vintage of Artezin Zinfandel had 14,5% alcohol level (this is back in 2005, when high alcohol wasn’t so common yet), but it didn’t lack elegance and complexity. A new Artezin was a very impressive, affordable wine and a huge compliment to already high quality Hess family’s portfolio.

At that time we asked Randle Johnson why he decided to make Zinfandel (until then Hess produced top notch Cabernet Sauvignon wines and Chardonnays only). With his passion for Californian heritage he told us with a smile on his face: “I just had to try it.” Well, we were glad he did. What I didn’t know then was the fact, that prior his work for Hess Collection winery, he was producing Zinfandel in Mount Veeder. He knew the traditional Californian grape well and it was only question of time for him to let it shine again.

Few weeks ago I was excited to taste a newest vintage of this, now well established, wine. Indeed, I wasn’t disappointed. Artezin, the art of Zinfandel, is a showcase of warm Amador County, where the most of the fruit came from. Combined with Sonoma valley fruit that enriches the blend with noticeable spice, this Zinfandel is balanced, rich and jammy. Grapes were harvested from 3 family owned, sustainably-farmed vineyards. The final blend then aged in 100% French oak barrels until its current release.

Tasting notes:
Dark ruby color with a strong aroma of ripe dark fruit, dried plums and black cherries. On the palate I tasted a very pleasant, rich fruit like dark cherries, blackberries, ripe plums with a spicy notes. Generous tannins are a typical for Zinfandel (it creates its mouth-feel sensation), but not always this velvety and creamy as in this wine. Enough acidity to balance it all out. Lovely, very impressive Zinfandel for upcoming winter.

Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: around $ 18.00

Ideal food pairing:
barbecue meats, goulash, beef stews, Beef Bourguignon , Beef Chorizo, Lamb burgers and many more…