This week’s second California Zinfandel, like the first, comes from the Dry Creek Valley AVA in northern Sonoma county. According to the winery’s website, the 2006 Dry Creek Zinfandel is made from grapes sourced both from old vines on the hillside as well as younger vines on the valley floor near Dry Creek. There is no legal definition of the “old vine” designation, of course, but as grape vines get older, they produce less and less fruit, allowing the sugars and flavor to concentrate in fewer berry clusters. By blending wines made from old and new vines, then, the idea is that the winemaker can find the perfect balance between the tannic liveliness and structure of the younger grapes and the smooth depth of flavor of the older ones.
Here, those efforts have created a wine whose aroma and palate open with a big burst of blackberries and chewy raspberry jam (from the old vines!), and open up further to spicy notes of anise and black pepper. Though a bit too jammy at the first sip, with some time in the glass, this wine mellowed out nicely and showed itself to be quite pleasant.
The 2006 Artezin Dry Creek Zinfandel is available at wine.com for $19.99/bottle.
Another 3.5 corks popped here!
Cheers!
