Zinfandel Challenge Results The results are in! At the bottom of this post, you'll find the final rankings and links to the individual wine reviews. Across the board, the Ravenswood Zinfandel offerings did really well. They all showed more power, body, and flavor than average. I'd certainly consider any of their bottles as a safe …
Just for fun, I decided to throw in a bottle that is completely out of our $10 price target and see how it compares to the value Zinfandels we've been drinking all month. I picked the Mike & Molly because it was already sitting in my cellar and, based on the cellar tracker reviews, it seemed …
Continue reading Zinfandel Challenge Bonus Post! Mike and Molly Hendry RW Moore Vineyard 2012
Price: $9.99 at Total Wine Style: The “Tom” (Medium body and power with some interesting tastes beyond basic fruits.) Rating: “Really Good” Recommendation: “Grab a few bottles” Review: The Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel is a really nice offering that perfectly hits the balance of earthy and fruity for me. When we first opened the bottle, it was quite a bit …
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. …
Price: $9.49 at Total Wine Style: The “Lady Edith” (Lighter body with some interesting tastes beyond basic fruits.) Rating: “Ok” Recommendation: “Have a glass or two” Review: The McManis offers fair value, but has some minor imperfections even at this price. First, it's definitely got a bit of tingling acidity right in the mid-palate. Great for a Pinot Grigio, …
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: The Zabaco definitely got on my good side from the get-go. The alluring nose was earthy, fruity, rich, and full of cedar, spice, tar, blackberries, and plums... significantly more complex than the average …
Continue reading Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel Heritage Vines 2014
Price: $9.79 at Total Wine Style: The “Tom” (Medium body and power with some interesting tastes beyond basic fruits.) Rating: “Ok” Recommendation: “Have a glass or two” Review: Meh... average to good for the price. A medium nose carries strong candied red fruit with some baking spices... enjoyable. In the mouth, this is smooth but too sweet on the …
Price: $8.99 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: The Oak Grove Zinfandel delivered one of the most interesting flavors I've picked up in a Zinfandel this month... On the back of the palate, I got a very clear impression of …
Price: $9.79 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: The Zinfandels continue to preform quite well this month. The Peachy Canyon is no rock star, but it is a good solid offering under $10. The nose is the distinguishing attribute for …
Continue reading Peachy Canyon Incredible Red Zinfandel 2014
Price: $9.99 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: Another nice bottle in this month's challenge! A wonderful nose; strong, sweet, and more complex than you usually get at this price, showing cinnamon, spice, and, sweet tobacco. The palate builds on …
Price: $9.29 at Total Wine Style: The “Anna" (a pleasant medium body with simple fruit flavors) Rating: “Ok” Recommendation: “Have a glass or two” Review: Our second Zinfandel of the month was a step down from the Zen of Zin, which kind of surprised me from Cline. This bottle isn't bad, but it isn't really good either. The medium …
Price: $8.49 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: We're starting off the Zinfandel challenge on the right foot! The Zen of Zin gives you a great nose right out of the bottle with strong candied cherries and some buttercream frosting …
Zinfandel Challenge Overview After spending last month in Argentina and France (or at least in Argentinian and French bottles of Malbec), we're coming back to the US this month to explore Zinfandel. Unfortunately, many people still associate Zinfandel with the insipid (my opinion) sweet pink 1980's concoction, "White Zinfandel". I assure you that White Zinfandel …
Continue reading ‘Total Wine & More’ Zinfandel Challenge Kickoff!
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