Price: $11.99 at Total Wine

Style: The “Tom” (Medium body and power with some interesting tastes beyond basic fruits.)

Rating: “Good”

Recommendation: “Grab a few bottles”

Review:

Although subtle, everything about the Ravenswood Napa is nicely balanced and in-check. Many of the Zinfandels around $10 are overly sweet , overly thin, or display unpleasant levels of acidity or alcohol.  Not so here… everything was structured and balanced just right. In addition to good bones, it delivers a good level of complexity with blackberry, oak, vanilla, baking spice, and white pepper. The flavor profile evolves from more earthy and peppery at the front of the palate to more fruity at the back of the palate.

On the negative side, there’s nothing really memorable here. It is a nicely done $12 Zin and I couldn’t find anything wrong with it…. but I also didn’t find anything that got me excited.  I’m going with “Good” on this one.  I’d need just a little more POP to rate it “Really Good”.

Winemakers’s notes:

• Sourced from some of the oldest and best Zin vineyards in the Napa Valley: Balyeat, Perez, Hendry, Luvisi, Chaix, and Dickerson. Most of these vineyards have been family owned for more than a century. Bright cherry, with hints of blackberry jam, clove, and blackberry pie aromas. Warm spice and vanilla. Powerful, mouth filling, and full bodied raspberry and blackberry flavors with supple tannins. Well rounded, and structured but approachable.
• https://www.ravenswoodwinery.com/2014-Ravenswood-Napa-Valley-Old-Vine-Zinfandel

More info:

Launched in 1976 with a focus on single-vineyard Zinfandel, Ravenswood has grown dramatically now producing many different varieties and blends at many different price points from all across California.

To give you some idea of what Ravenswood is all about, this is the first winery website where I’ve found a picture of the owner with a gun.  🙂

https://www.ravenswoodwinery.com/About-Us