SSeptember 2, 2018
Calling All Portland Zinfandel Lovers!
1. 2015 Sbragia Family Vineyards Nonno's Reserve Old Vine Zinfandel Sonoma County - $44
Pungently earthy in cigar box & compost, this is a compact & densely powerful wine, full of blackberry-jam flavor dipped in chocolate & cinnamon spice. (2014) Rated 92 Wine Enthusiast Magazine
2. 2015 Bella Vineyards Maple Vineyard Annie's Block Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley - $55
The 2015 Annie’s Block has lush, briar blackberry & forest floor on the palate with mouth-filling tannins & a rich, yet soft texture. Blending in 2% of Syrah adds subtle complexity, adding wonderful dark notes of blueberry, tobacco & crisp bacon. Winery
3. 2014 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard Russian River Valley Sonoma County - $60
The 2014 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard is one of the most complex & multidimensional wines in this range. This field blend includes a whopping 40 different varieties, which no doubt adds to the wine’s complexity & layered feel. Smooth, silky tannins add to the wine’s considerable appeal. Rated 95 Vinous
4. 2014 T-Vine Zinfandel Frediani Vineyard Calistoga Napa Valley -$40
Of all the vineyard blocks we work with each year, none have a greater personal meaning to us than Zinfandel grown by Jim Frediani...his 60-year old head-trained Zinfandel vines produce fruit so amazingly intense & pure that we feel blessed to be the ones to capture this magic in a bottle. Heavenly, fruit-driven aromas of blackcurrant & blackberry cobbler greet savory whiffs of cinnamon, fennel, toffee & caramel. That dark fruit core translates to the palate oh-so-well, where you’ll also get plenty of spice right up front. With a rich, dark ruby hue & undeniable zest, (this) Zinfandel is impossible to overlook. Winery
5. 2014 Turley Zinfandel Sadie Upton Vineyard Amador County - $74
Another Amador offering (from vines planted in 1922 during Prohibition) is the Zinfandel Sadie Upton Vineyard, an expressive wine with loads of raspberry, cherry & wild strawberry notes, terrific aromatics, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel & well-hidden potency (15.7% alcohol). Lusty, lush, pure, clean & fruit-driven, this is another beauty from Turley to drink over the next 7-8 years. Rated 92 The Wine Advocate
6. 2015 Bella Zinfandel Two Patch Sonoma County - $45
The juicy 2014 Two Patch zinfandel opens with a bouquet of dark woody spiciness with flavors of boysenberry, toffee & coffee. It culminates with a soft, long, lingering, voluptuous finish. A wine to be enjoyed for many years. Winery
7. 2015 Sbragia Family Vineyards Zinfandel Italo's Vineyard - $36
Intensely built, this is a big-boned & richly layered wine, dense & ripe in blackberry jam. The fruit is joined by smoky oak & further flavors of chocolate-covered coconut. Wine Enthusiast Magazine
8. 2014 Louis Martini Monte Rosso Gnarly Vine Zinfandel - $54
Another fabulous wine, although there’s not much of it, from this fabulous first-growth vineyard in Sonoma. This is a blend of 97% Zinfandel & 3% Petite Sirah aged in 66% new French oak, 16% new American oak & the rest used. Only 500 cases were made of this whopper, which is full-bodied, has great intensity with a stunning nose of black fruits, pepper, Mediterranean herbs & spice. Good natural acidity gives focus & vibrancy to this wine that comes from vines as old as 120 years. This is a full-bodied classic at its very best, from one of the great vineyards in California. Finished alcohol is 16.2%, so this is a heck of a mouthful. Rated 95 The Wine Advocate