Ultraripe, ultrasmooth and seemingly sweet, this jammy-flavored, full-bodied and lowacidity wine boasts dried black fruits, cinnamon, cloves and a touch of honey.
Russian River Valley Zinfandel Reviews
Rich, supple and intense with notes of blueberry, boysenberry, cocoa, cinnamon and cedar.
Excellent, Highly Recommended
Stewed red and black berries meld nicely here with toasted coconut, pepper, and rosemary. A full-bodied and opulent wine that gives generous fruit, this is a wine that goes well with smoked and grilled meats.
Top Value: A zesty red, with bold raspberry and fresh pine tree aromas to the easygoing cherry and spice flavors.
GOLD
Quite ripe and juicy, with baked cherry and toast aromas accenting easy flavors of berry pie and spice. -JL
Chairman's Award
Best of Class
Unanimous Gold
This is what Zinfandel should be. Dense, hearty ruby color, a nose full of the same black cherry for which Russian River Valley Pinots are famous. Remarkable structural integrity with firm, grippy supportive tannins without graininess, signaling age worthiness, yet it's perfectly generous and satisfying today.
Editors' Choice
This full-bodied, balanced wine opens elegantly in the glass, revealing red berry and spice around a core of soft, layered tannins and restrained oak. On the finish a remarkable sprinkling of black pepper lingers playfully on the tongue.
Best Buys Of The Year
Brian Maloney drew on four vineyards to make this delicious zin, the oldest, Saitone, planted in the 1890s and the youngest, BCD, planted in the 1990s; he raised the wine almost exclusively in older barrels. It's cool and fragrant, firm yet silky, the flavors quiet but convincing, suggesting rose, dried strawberry and pink peppercorn. Its slow-building intensity calls for a plate of prosciutto.