Wine of the Day

2009 McCay Cellars “Jupiter” Zinfandel

Zinfandel

Written by Fred Swan

Created on Tuesday, 28 August 2012 20:47

The Mokelumne River AVA is central within the larger Lodi AVA.  Old-vine Zinfandel is more prominent there than in the other nested AVAs of Lodi. Its deep, well-drained Tokay Sandy Loam is well-suited to Zinfandel and also keeps phylloxera at bay, allowing the vines to thrive for decade after decade.

The Jupiter Vineyard is located in the eastern portion of the Mokelumne River AVA. That side is a bit farther from the cooling influence of the Delta and produces the style most people consider “classic Lodi Zinfandel.” The vines used in this wine from McCay Cellars are around 40 years old, not the region’s most venerable but more than old enough to provide old-vine concentration and complexity.

The 2009 McCay Cellars Jupiter Zinfandel has a character that newcomers to McCay’s style might find surprisingly savory. Winemaker/Proprietor Michael McCay picks earlier than many of his colleagues, relies on native yeast fermentation and uses only French oak barrels, just a small percentage of which are new. The resulting wines tend to be more nuanced and offer a wider range of flavors than might otherwise be the case.

There are plenty of huckleberry and chocolate aromatics in McCay's 2009 Jupiter Zinfandel, but also a lot of cola, herb and tobacco. In the mouth, the wine starts out creamy with medium+ body. Gradually, lightly chalky tannins reveal themselves and, along with noticeable acidity, help to balance the rich red fruit and alcohol. There is a broad spectrum of delicousl flavors, including sour cherry, raspberry, cola, oak, tangy spice, mocha and forest floor which weave around each other for a generous finish. The 2009 McCay Cellars Jupiter Zinfandel is a complex and tasty old-vine Zinfandel with enough flavor and richness to stand on its own, but also the restraint and structure to compliment a nice meal. Drink now through 2015. Highly Recommended.

For more on McCay Cellars see my profile of the winery, including a video interview with Michael McCay.

2009 McCay Cellars “Jupiter” Zinfandel
Rating: Highly Recommended
Drink: now - 2015
Bottling Date: November 11, 2012
Closure: Cork
Production: 449 cases
Retail Price: $28.00

Service Recommendations
Decanting: Not required
Temperature: 58º - 62º F
Food Pairings: Seared duck breast on beluga lentils or smoked baby back ribs with a savory dry rub

The wine above was provided by the winery for review.

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This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2012 NorCal Wine. All rights reserved.

2009 JC Cellars Iron Hill Vineyard Zinfandel Sonoma Valley

Zinfandel

Written by Fred Swan

Created on Monday, 11 June 2012 07:03

Jeff Cohn, proprietor and winemaker at JC Cellars, has been making Zinfandel for nearly two decades. He’s made many excellent and high-scoring Zins under his own label and at Rosenblum (which he left in 2006). However, Cohn is a Rhone-variety guy at heart. His love of those wines dates back to his days as an enology student.

Cohn refers to the 2009 Iron Hill Vineyard as the Cote-Rotie of Zinfandel. That fits. Tasting the wine with him, hallmark aromas of Northern Rhone Syrah were obvious at first sniff: wild game, rosemary-like herb, earthy spices. The palate carried on the illusion, or allusion.

The power of suggestion is strong though. So, I bought a bottle — okay, two, I wanted to drink one — and poured the wine blind for a small panel of skilled tasters. I gave no hints as to what the wine was or where it was from. “Mourvedre, maybe Southern France?” asked one. “Could be Northern Rhone, Crozes-Hermitage?” offered another. When I eventually confessed that the wine was not French, there was more guessing which culminated with, “Oh, my God. It’s not Zinfandel is it?” Yes. Yes it is.

I had poured this wine after we’d tasted several very good Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, all California wines. So the fact that this wine immediately took everyone’s minds to France is telling. As is the fact that it was also everyone’s favorite glass of the day.

The 2009 JC Cellars Iron Hill Vineyard Zinfandel is dark ruby and very generous aromatically. It offers a range of brambly berry fruits, leather, game, rosemary and cedar forest, white pepper and baking spice. The palate is medium-plus in body with light to moderate, fully integrated tannins. There are rich flavors of sweet oak, dark fruit, blueberry, raisin, cured black olives and spice. The finish is medium-plus. Drink now through 2017. Highly Recommended+.

2009 JC Cellars Iron Hill Vineyard Zinfandel Sonoma Valley
Rating: Highly Recommended+
Drink: Now through 2017
Closure: Cork
Production: 225 cases
Retail Price: $35.00

Winemaker: Jeff Cohn
Origin: Iron Hill Vineyard, Sonoma Valley
Alcohol: 14.8%

Service Recommendations
Decanting: Not required
Temperature: 60º - 64º F
Food Pairings: Lamb tagine or merquez with couscous

The wine above was purchased for review.

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This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2012 NorCal Wine. All rights reserved.

2010 Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel Sonoma County

Zinfandel

Written by Fred Swan

Created on Tuesday, 24 April 2012 19:26

There are many excellent single-vineyard Zinfandel bottlings. They are distinct, interesting and reflect both the vintage and the vineyard’s terroir. On the other hand, single-vineyard wines can be pricey, too much so for most people’s every day drinking. And they are produced in low volume, so finding the one you want on the spur of the moment can be difficult.

It’s good to have a high-quality regional blend as a “go-to” wine. The blends can still have unique personalities, whether that’s a regional character or house style. They reflect vintage, but more subtly. Less variation from year to year makes regional blends a reliable choice even when you’ve not tried a particular vintage yet. The blending process also allows winemakers to smooth out rough edges and fill in gaps to create a wine that will appeal to a broader range of drinkers. Bottle prices are usually lower than single-vineyards wines, volumes higher. And you can find them.

Seghesio’s Sonoma Zinfandel has long been one of my top choices among regional Zinfandels. Most of the grapes come from Seghesio estate vineyards, three in Dry Creek Valley and one in Alexander Valley. The wine is consistently good and full of prototypical Zinfandel character. It’s also a wine that is pretty easy to afford and locate in stores. I purchased the bottle I reviewed at Bevmo for about $22. You can even find the wine overseas at places like Tesco sometimes. That's a rarity for quality Zinfandel.

The 2010 Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel Sonoma County is medium-plus ruby in color with welcoming aromas of candied black cherry, caramel, coconut and vanilla. The palate is spot on for Zinfandel. The body is medium to medium-plus and supple with moderate, fine-grained tannins that smooth out after five minutes in the glass. Core flavors of black cherry, blackberry and blueberry are complemented by notes of spice, oak and cocoa. Highly Recommended.

2010 Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel Sonoma County
Rating: Highly Recommended
Drink: Now through 2015
Release Date: October, 2011

Closure: Cork
Retail Price: $24.00

Service Recommendations
Decanting: Not required
Temperature: 60º - 63º F
Food Pairing: fire up the grill

The wine above was purchased for review.

Follow NorCalWine on Twitter for breaking wine news, information on events and more. Become a fan and join the NorCal Wine community on Facebook. Also check out our comprehensive Northern California winery listings. They are very useful for planning a tasting trip or just getting in touch with a winery.

This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2012 NorCal Wine. All rights reserved.

2009 Black Sears Estate Zinfandel Howell Mountain

Zinfandel

Written by Fred Swan

Created on Tuesday, 24 January 2012 00:36

Black Sears is a Howell Mountain vineyard and winery. Its owners, Joyce Black and Jerre Sears purchased the property in 1979, were married there in 1981 and it has long been a source of acclaimed Zinfandel grapes. The fruit has been featured in Black Sears’ own wines, but also top-scoring bottles from Turley and others. There are just 17 acres of the Zinfandel, planted in 1975 and dry-farmed.

Black Sears wines are made on site at the top of Howell Mountain by Thomas Rivers Brown. A highly sought-after winemaker of highly sought-after wines, Brown started out at Turley 15 years ago. Now, his projects include Schrader, Outpost, Seaver Family and his own brand, Rivers-Marie.

Black Sears has a history of excellent winemaking. Ted Lemon of Littorai made both the Black Sears and Littorai wines there, up on the hill, for a dozen years until he constructed his own Sebastopol winery in 2007.

The 2009 Black Sears Estate Zinfandel Howell Mountain is a wine with power and personality. It is medium-plus ruby in the glass. Aromatic intensity is just beyond medium, but there is plenty of dark complexity. Black pepper and a melange of other dark spices float above black cherry, blackberry preserves and blueberry. The palate is focused. Dark and briary fruit provide a smooth welcome. The medium-plus body is driven by tannins — at first lightly grainy then, with some air, powdery. They quickly build a structure that organizes the fruit and sends it marching in orderly fashion with just enough time to grab black pepper, a square of chocolate and a tin of moist, dark tobacco.

This is serious, Howell Mountain Zinfandel. It will add complexity with ten years in the cellar. But, you can easily enjoy it now with 30 minutes or so in a decanter and a slab of juicy ribs. Very Highly Recommended.

You can taste a barrel-sample of the 2010 Black Sears Zinfandel and hundreds of Zinfandel wines this week at the ZAP! Festival. Take a look at this article for more information.

2009 Black Sears Estate Zinfandel Howell Mountain
Rating: Highly Recommended

Drink: Now through 2022
Release Date: Fall, 2011

Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $45.00

This wine was purchased for review.

Follow NorCalWine on Twitter for breaking wine news, information on events and more. Become a fan and join the NorCal Wine community on Facebook. Also check out our comprehensive Northern California winery listings. They are very useful for planning a tasting trip or just getting in touch with a winery.

This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2012 NorCal Wine. Black Sears emblem courtesy of the winery and includes a painting by J. Beauchamp. All rights reserved.