This is the second release of the Orin Swift project now that Dave Phinney's non-compete with Prisoner Wine Company is over. It was nice to get a chance to try this. This is a very solid wine. Purple in color.
Evangelho vineyard is a blend featuring mostly Zinfandel. This vineyard always seems to have a more "claret" or elegant style to it. That can be a disadvantage at a tasting or with a group of bigger wines. When consumed on its own, however, it can be charming. Deep ruby in color. The nose has cherries, raspberries, slight smoke and an interesting bit of mint. On the palate, the cherries and smoke tend to dominate at the moment. Some depth. Good acidity. Nice finish. This drinks well on its own but really begs for pasta, pizza or burgers. Drink it over the next five years.
One of the no brainer values in California wine. This year it carries a California (not Sonoma) designation. It is a blend from various vineyards of 85% Zinfandel and the rest Mataro, Grenache, Alicante Bouschet, Carignan, Petite Sirah and what grapes might also be growing in these field blends. It is delicious. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has black cherries, raspberries, smoke, roasted herbs and spice. On the palate, this has juicy acidity. Nice texture. Lots of red and some purple fruits. Light tannins. Good finish. This will likely improve a bit for a year or tw
Ulises Valvez was one of the great American success stories in the wine world. An immigrant to this country, he built his vineyard and winery into a top notch winery. Sadly, he passed away a couple of years ago at far too young of an age. His winery carries on. This is a Zinfandel blend that also has 17% Peite Sirah and 5% Grenache. The vineyard was originally planted in 1888 and hand farmed by Ulises Valdez since 1988. There are some very old vines. Purple in color. The nose has black cherries, some raspberries, a bit of spice and bramble. Nice texture. Juicy acidity. There is s
This is always one of the really good values in Zinfandel. It is consistently a solid wine in every vintage and this is no exception. A blend of 87% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, 2% Carignane, 1% Syrah and 1% mixed reds. Purple in color. The nose has black cherries, sandalwood and slight bramble. On the palate, this is medium bodied. Cherries and black cherries. Slight tannins. Easy drinking. This will work great with burgers or pizza. It should be drunk in the next three to five years.
This is a Zinfandel blend of 74% Zinfandel, 14% Syrah and 12% Mourvedre. This is a big wine but it is drinking quite nicely right now. Purple in color, slight ruby at the rim. The nose has black cherries, raspberries, a bit of bramble, plums and black pepper. On the palate, this has a nice texture. A nice varietal complexity. It goes down (too) easy. Although there is no alcohol on the palate, it is 15.3%. Lots of black cherry and raspberry fruit with some char and spice. Good finish. This drinks great on it own and would work well with a burger. It probably should be consumed in
72% Zinfandel with 20% Syrah and 8% Mourvedre. This is a brawny wine that is delicious. Purple in color. The nose has black cherries, black pepper, slight bramble and baking spice. On the palate, this has a wonderful texture. Juicy black cherries over a bit of char with slight woody notes. There is a nice depth to this wine. It should continue to develop complexity over the next few years. It should last another decade. Whether it improves or not depends on how mature you like your Zins. This is great on its own and should work great with grilled meats or spicy hot foods.
Usually, I like to let Saxum's age more, but this one is 45% Zinfandel, so we popped the cork. Good move. Also it has 36% Mourvedre, 12% Tempranillo and 7% Petite Sirah. Weighs in at just under 16% ABV. Inky purple in color. The nose is big with black cherries, plums, black raspberries, some earthiness and spice. On the palate, there is no heat. Juicy black cherries, and black raspberries. Some underlying char. Long finish. This is delicious but will be a tough food match. Maybe some BBQ with spicy sauce? It will be interesting to see how this ages. I suspect the Zin fades and
This is an inexpensive wine made from 85% Zinfandel and 15% Petite Sirah. It is aged in one and two year old French oak barrels. This is a nice wine to serve at parties and cook outs. It will be popular with people who enjoy a nice glass of red. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has black raspberries, raspberries, some black cherries along with a bit of cola and spice. On the palate, black cherries, black raspberries and a bit of black pepper. Easy drinking. Nothing harsh. Not a lot of acidity. Ripe fruit. This is a wine to drink now.
Papera Ranch is one of my favorite vineyards for Zinfandel. Most the vineyard is Zinfandel, there is also some Carignane, Petite Sirah, Valdigue, Cabernet Sauvignon, Trousseau Gris, Mission, several unknowns, and Pinot Noir. This is labelled as a Heritage wine meaning that it is a field blend from an old vineyard. The original plantings in this vineyard go back to 1934. The wine itself is great but it took about thirty minutes or so in a decanter to open up fully. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, a bit of char, spice and a bit of pepper. On the palate
