If you read wine magazines, they would
have you believe that all of us eat nothing but lighter foods during the
summer. They feature articles about
wines that match well with chicken and fish.
Personally, I agree with them; I think summer is the perfect time to
sample lighter cuisines.
However…
I also spend a lot of time with
friends who have no greater pleasure in life than throwing a few burgers or
steaks over hot coals. And I have to
confess that the carnivore in me is deeply grateful that my pals want to
satisfy this atavistic craving for red meat.
Consequently, here’s a post dedicated to
California Zinfandels. Zins are
archetypal barbeque wines -- so the test food for all of these bottles
consisted of a grilled hamburger. I’ve
chosen two longstanding Zin producers, and one (relative) newcomer. Let’s see what matches best with the foods
coming off our grills…
 |
| The winner of this week's vinous face-off... |
2012 Dashe Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma – California): Medium plum. Raspberry, blueberry, and an almost steely note. Herbal aromas and flavors; sweet fruit with red licorice. Well-balanced, with real elegance. Accessible now – excellent! ****
2011
Ridge Three Valleys Zinfandel (Sonoma County, California): Deep ruby, but with some
lightness starting to appear on the rim.
Aromas tend toward the dark side; black licorice and blackberries, but
with a somewhat different spectrum emerging as the wine aired: redcurrant, with
a slight but pleasant metallic/mineral scent.
More herbal elements, and some spiciness, emerge with more time. Initially, the palate was a bit thin; some
nice brambly qualities emerge eventually, but there’s still a sense that
there’s a lack of expressive fruit here.
Very dry, almost arid. My
confession: Ridge Zins were my first introduction to this amazing
varietal. Query: is my mind playing
tricks on me, or where the basic Ridge Sonoma bottlings of the late-1970’s and
80’s more generous and balanced? (NOTE:
after two days under gas, the nose was almost port-like, but the wine grew more
balanced overall. More fruit expression,
and altogether a more enjoyable drink.)
***
2012
Seghesio Zinfandel (Sonoma County, California):
Medium garnet. Redcurrants, red
licorice, rhubarb and strawberries on the nose, with some brambly notes as
well. Some nice red fruits on the palate
when on its own, but some slightly unpleasant iodine/medicinal flavors come out
with a burger – which is a rather prototypical Zin food. Some heat on the finish. So here’s my confession: I’ve loved Seghesio
Zins in the past, including some recent vintages. Is this vintage an aberration? Has the sale of the winery to a larger
corporation marked a decline in quality?
Was this simply a sub-standard bottle?
(NOTE: after two days under gas, the wine grew a bit more balanced, with
less heat. It still tasted more like a
Zin from Lodi or Paso Robles than a Sonoma wine.) Overall, a trifle overstated. **1/2
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