The Wine Guys
Finding the right zinfandel is up to you

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By Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr | Tuesday, September 26, 2006 11:51 PM CDT | () comments

RELISH

There are times — more frequently today than ever — when we forsake zinfandel. After all, if it’s so good, why doesn’t any other wine-growing country make it? And, if you want to cellar good wine, do you really want to put your money in alcoholic zinfandels rather than cabernet sauvignon? The answer to that depends on what you — not the critics — like more: zinfandel or cabernet sauvignon.

Zinfandel’s heritage is a source of controversy. DNA research has traced it to the European grape primitivo. Today, the grape is grown mostly in California where it enjoys a cult following. In order to enjoy zinfandel, you have to like jammy flavors, spice, high alcohol and forward fruit. And when these wines age, they develop ripe, port-like flavors.

Zinfandel likes heat, so the grapes grow well in hot areas where they get long hang-time on the vine — which explains alcohol content that can be as high as 17 percent. Lots of producers make zinfandel, but those which specialize in it do a better job of striking a balance between fruit and alcohol. A cheap zinfandel with jammy flavors is easy to find, but the vineyard-designated zinfandels offer much more complexity and style. We have found the better ones include petite sirah in the blend just to give the wine more structure.

With fall here, we have sampled the zinfandels from three producers that show higher level of excellence than most California producers.

Rosenblum

This Alameda producer has more than 40 wines in its portfolio, but it’s the single-vineyard zinfandels that justify Rosenblum’s reputation. Drawing grapes from Napa, Sonoma, Alexander, Russian River and other regions, winemaker Jeff Cohn crafts small productions of excellent zins. Rarely do they lack complexity or character, a result of cropping vines to reduce yields and thus increase concentration.

Here are three we enjoyed:

Rosenblum Harris Kratka Vineyard Zinfandel 2004 ($35).

Rosenblum Maggie’s Reserve Zinfandel 2004 ($45).

Rosenblum Rockpile Road Vineyard Zinfandel 2004 ($35).

Ravenswood

Joel Peterson has banked his future on zinfandel since 1976 when he produced just 327 cases of the wine.

Today, he is making many more cases of his fabled Ravenswood wine, still with a dedication to a grape this country can call its own.

Every year we sample the six vineyard-designated zinfandels with the pleasure of noting how different they can be. Some are distinguished by their power while others are distinguished by their luscious fruit. But all have the spice and intense berry flavors identified with this grape variety. They are a true testament to a great winemaker who makes zinfandel a worthy grape variety.

Ravenswood coined the phrase “no wimpy wines” to describe zinfandels and the following live up to their marketing:

Ravenswood Big River Zinfandel 2004 ($30).

Ravenswood Dickerson Zinfandel 2004 ($30).

Wine of the week

Ravenswood Old Hill Zinfandel 2004 ($60). Only a thousand cases are made of this special exlixir grown on old vines in Sonoma Valley. Nearly a fourth of this wild blend is made up of a dozen other grape varieties, including tempranillo, syrah and grenache. The result is a unique wine with ripe blackberry and coffee flavors.