Wine Reviews & Recommendations

California Zinfandels
for Barbecue Season

As we head into summer and barbecue season, it is time for a longer look at Zinfandel. As the 2005s are being released, I’d like to have a last look at the 2004 Zinfandel vintage in California, which produced many superlative versions of the varietal that are drinking exceptionally well now.

In 2004, late warm weather during the growing season allowing Zinfandel to ripen fully—and the many 2004s are rich with
the ripe, intense blackberry, boysenberry, cherry, and plum character so enthralling
in the best Zinfandels. Most of these wines
are quite full bodied; but they are also full
flavored, and in warm (or hot) weather,
should be served cool, or slightly chilled.

To help you judge the relative richness of these wines, I have listed them in terms of progressive richness (not alphabetically as I normally do), meaning that the lightest are listed first, the fullest last.

I have also included two of Spain’s finest red wines, from the RODA estate, in Rioja.

Recommended Zinfandel Wine

BEAULIEU VINEYARD
2005 BEAUZEAUX RED WINE
CALIFORNIA
$9-$11

Screw cap. While not a varietally designated Zinfandel, it is mostly Zin—and a delicious blend: velvety in texture, full bodied, and medium long on the finish, tasting of loganberry, toast, and mild oak. 68% Zinfandel, 21% Syrah, 11% other. 50,000 cases. Drink through 2008.

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ARTEZIN
2004 ZINFANDEL
MENDOCINO-SONOMA-AMADOR
$16-18

Rich and somewhat jammy in style; a powerful, lightly woody Zin, with good depth, and a long finish. It tastes of berry jam, raisin, plum, pepper, and wood. 58% Mendocino, 25% Sonoma, 17% Amador counties. Drink through 2008.

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FROG'S LEAP
2004 ZINFANDEL
NAPA VALLEY
$24-$26

A rich, well balanced, full bodied Zinfandel, that is spicy in flavor, and long on the finish, tasting of boysenberry, blueberry, pepper, blackberry, and oak. 9,500 cases. Drink through 2008.

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MONTEVINA
TERRA D'ORO, 2004 ZINFANDEL
AMADOR COUNTY
$16-$18

Ripely flavored and full bodied, with light oakiness, and a long finish. It tastes of blackberry, plum, aniseed, toast, coconut, and spicy oak. An excellent Zinfandel and an excellent value. Drink through 2008.

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RAVENSWOOD – Zinfandels
* 2004 BELLONI, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, $28-$30
* 2004 BARRICIA, SONOMA VALLEY, $28-$30
* 2004 TELDESCHI, DRY CREEK VALLEY, $28-$30
* 2004 BIG RIVER, ALEXANDER VALLEY, $28-$30

Sonoma County Zinfandel in a nutshell. The Belloni is supple and full bodied, with intense fruitiness, good balance, light oakiness, and a long finish, tasting of blackberry, cherry, toast, and oak. Long aftertaste. 25% field blend. 787.5 cases. Barricia is a medium rich, supple Zin, that is slightly minty in flavor, and a bit rugged on the finish, tasting of blackberry, plum, raisin, oak, and mint. 24% Petite Sirah. 1,025 cases. Teldeschi is full bodied and richly flavored, this is a well-balanced, smoothly textured Zin, that is very long on the finish. It tastes of blackberry, black cherry, toast, oak, and pepper. 17% Petite Sirah, 5% Carignane. 2,375 cases. And Big River is fleshy and ripe in style, with excellent balance and a persistent finish, tasting of black cherry, blackberry, toast, and oak, with a very long finish. 1,525 cases. Drink through 2008.

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SOBON ESTATE
2004 ZINFANDEL
COUGAR HILL, AMADOR COUNTY
$16-$18

Screw cap. Very ripely flavored, full bodied, and lightly woody in style, with a rugged finish, tasting of berry jam, oak, raisin, and pepper. Organically grown grapes. 15.9% alc. 16% Petite Sirah. 400 cases. Drink through 2008.

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GIRARD
2004 OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
NAPA VALLEY
$24-$26

A full bodied, concentrated Zinfandel, that is ripely flavored (blackberry, plum), with evident oakiness, and a long, lightly woody finish. 15% Petite Sirah. 1,850 cases. Drink through 2008.

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HAYWOOD ESTATE
2004 ZINFANDEL
LOS CHAMIZAL VYD., SONOMA VALLEY
$21-$23

Supple and full bodied, this is an intensely flavored Zin, with surprising depth and length. It tastes of berry jam, black cherry, plum, pepper, and spicy oak. Extremely good value. 1,207 cases. Drink through 2008.

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MONTEVINA, TERRA D'ORO – Amador County
* 2004 ZINFANDEL, SHR FIELD BLEND, $20-$23
* 2004 ZINFANDEL, HOME VINEYARD, $28-$30

These are rich, supple wines--and excellent values. The SHR Field Blend is full, fairly rich, supple, ripely flavored, and lightly oaky, with good balance and length. It tastes of blackberry, spicy oak, and cherry. 13% Petite Sirah, 7% Barbera. The Home Vineyard Zin is rich, fleshy, and complex in style; an extremely ripely flavored Zinfandel, with evident oakiness, and very long finish, tasting of blackberry, plum, aniseed, spicy oak, and baked cherry. Exceptional. Drink through 2008.

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HAYWOOD ESTATE
2004 ZINFANDEL
ROCKY TERRACE, SONOMA VALLEY
$35-$38

Fleshy, rich, and full bodied, this is a powerful yet well balanced Zin, that tastes of berry jam, toast, pepper, black cherry, and spicy oak. Very long finish. Remarkably good! 205 cases. Drink through 2009.

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Recommende Rioja Wine from Spain

BODEGAS RODA
2001 RODA II, RIOJA
$40-$43

Exceptional Rioja: complex in flavor, full bodied, smoothly textured, and long on the palate, with a persistent finish, tasting of pepper, plum, cedar, and spicy oak. 4% Garnacha, 2% Graciano. Unfiltered. Drink through 2009.

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BODEGAS RODA
2001 RODA I
RIOJA RESERVA
$64-$66

A remarkable wine: full bodied, richly flavored, complex Rioja, with intense ripe fruit character and layers of new oak characters. Smooth, rich finish. Shows more complexity than RODA II. Unfiltered, 100% Tempranillo. Drink through 2010.

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-- RW

Related Wine Resources If you enjoyed these wine reviews, you might also find the following wine resources to be useful: April '07: Italian, German, Bordeaux Wine Glossary of Wine Terms Types of Wine Around the World How to Serve Wine Choosing Wine Glasses