29th Annual Best of The Best:
California Zinfandel
Top Five New Releases
QRW Tasting Team
Nourished and sourced from the right terroir, and produced and blended by a winemaker who sees Zinfandel as wine art, not as something rusticated or over-the-top, Zinfandel can be divine, rich, and complex. In this blind tasting, we tasted 48 new releases and can unequivocally recommend five.
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CO-BEST OF SHOW 2011 Ridge Geyserville, Sonoma County 2010 Sbragia Gino’s Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley |
2011 Ridge Geyserville, Sonoma County $38. Soft, spicy, textured, concentrated, with strawberry-cherry flavors and elegant finish. Delicious! CO-BEST OF SHOW
2010 Sbragia Gino’s Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County $40. Archetypal Dry Creek Valley Zin: brown-ginger spice, blueberry and raspberry aromas and flavors, with dark chocolate, cherry, and anise finish. Complex. CO-BEST OF SHOW
2010 Cakebread Cellars, Red Hills Lake County, $32. Coffee bean aroma with zesty spice, raspberry-strawberry flavors, lovely texture and concentration, with a finish that’s elegant and stylish.
2010 Kunde Family Estate Reserve Century Vines, Sonoma Valley, $45. Lush, lively, wonderfully concentrated, with rich raspberry-strawberry flavors and deep dark chocolate. Engaging with long finish.
2010 Louis M. Martini Gnarly Wine, Monte Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma Valley, $50. Serious Zinfandel. Ruby hue, rich blackberry and blueberry and cherry flavors that are enriched by dark chocolate. Complex and concentrated.
Related articles:
• 29th Annual Best of The Best: California Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux Blends
• 29th Annual Best of The Best: California Chardonnay
• 29th Annual Best of The Best: Champagne Tasting
• 29th Annual Best of The Best: California Pinot Noir
