Exploring the Art of Wine
Category: Zinfandel
Compiling a list of the Top Wines can be a daunting task considering the myriad of labels and selections in the market place. So this year’s wine lists were compiled with several criteria in mind:
Scout’s Honor is Kirk Venge’s award-winning blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Charbono and Syrah. The new 2009 Scout’s Honor is big, lush, voluptuous wine that’s packed with tons of black and red berry fruit and complex nuances. Impressive from the first sip to the bottom of the bottle.
Muscardini Cellars produces delicious wines in Sonoma County, including Italian varietals such as a Sangiovese and a Zinfandel from the famed Monte Rosso Vineyard.
The release of the new Marietta 2007 Angeli Cuvee reaffirms Marietta’s place as one of the country’s top producers of delicious, great value red wines. Chris Bilbro started Marietta Cellars in 1978, and has been making delicious, affordable wines ever since. His Marietta Old Vine Red (OVR) is considered to be one of the country’s best red wine values (about $12 per bottle) by wine critics and wine lovers alike.
At the ZAP Grand Tasting this past January, over 350 wines were poured, and the lineup of three Zinfandels produced by GAMBA Vineyards and Winery were among the crowd’s favorites. The 2009 Estate Old Vine Zinfandel from Russian River Valley raised eyebrows and brought smiles to the face of those who sampled the wine.
ZAP will be celebrating “20 Years of Zinspiration” this year. The three day event kicks of on Thursday the 27th with food and wine pairing event called “Good Eats”. In the video Sondra Bernstein and Chef John Toulze of ESTATE Restaurant and The Girl & The Fig in Sonoma talk about the event and teaming up with Agostino and Paulette Gamba of GAMBA Vineyards and Winery for the “Good Eats” event.
After selling his notable Rosenblum Cellars in 2008, Kent Rosenblum began assisting his daughter, Shauna, in building a new brand called Rock Wall Wine Company. The company produces wines that showcase the characteristics of some of the most prominent vineyards in California. The portfolio includes, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Late Harvest desert wines.
Don and Lynne Albini began in 1992 by creating less than 100 cases of Merlot from their family vineyard, which caught the attention of “Superstar Chef” Wolfgang Puck, who featured it at his posh Postrio Restaurant in San Francisco, and that was all the recognition the startup winery needed!
One of the most sought after domestic wines, Orin Swift’s The Prisoner Napa Valley Red Wine has developed a devout following. Year after year the legions of Prisoner fans increases, and the wine does not disappoint fans of big, sexy red wines. The Prisoner is a blend of six varietals sourced from some of the finest vineyards in Napa Valley.
In addition to the Gamba Estate and Moratto Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandels, Agostino Gamba producers a Russian River Valley Cuvee. The RRV appellation Zin is a blend of old and younger vines from the Gamba Estate and Moratto Vineyards and from a few hand-picked, family-owned vineyards in the Russian River Valley.
Michael Loykasek doesn’t much care about what critics think about his wines. He just wants to make wines that he loves to drink. As it turns out, these are exactly the type of wines that a ton of other Cabernet and Zin lovers like to drink too! The wines under Mike’s Dark Horse label have been a HUGE HIT with Wine Riff clients in years past. These new releases will captivate even more.
Last fall the Wine Spectator 2009 New York Wine Experience held its traditional Celebrity Chefs Food and Wine Pairing event, but with a twist. Instead of having the chefs pick the wines to pair with their dish, each chef was charged to pick a wine that they felt matched best with a dish from one [...]
“These wines are FANTASTIC!!!”
−Mathew Nicoson, Wine Specialist
Doug Hackett has quietly been making some killer wines that up until recently have been completely under the radar. Maybe it’s that Mendocino wines have not been featured very prominently in the wine press, but word seems to be spreading all across the country about Dogwood Cellars. Doug was in the office last week and [...]
In the Vineyard – Dropping Fruit
Sonoma County: San Francisco’s Wine Country
Moratto Vineyard with Agostino Gamba, Jr.
In the Vineyard – Organic Weed Control
Dan Glover and his new L’Objet Pinot Noir