2007 Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel, $10

If you're a wine buff, you probably already know that Ravenswood is one of the big names in Zinfandel, and for good reason, as I recently found out. This is another of the three bottles of wine I bought at World Market in March, and I paid around $10 for it.

This full-bodied, dark ruby red Zin gives off tantalizing aromas of sour cherry, oaky vanilla, and just a hint of chocolate. On the palate, round, smooth tannins give way to intense fruit at the forefront. Spicy oak emerges to compliment the fruit flavors (cherry, other berry), leading to a nice fruit finish.

I can't say enough how impressed I was with this Zinfandel. It truly lives up to its hype, and does the Ravenswood family proud. Soft, supple tannins and a round flavor profile make this Zin a joy to drink, and it is extremely well balanced. It is full-bodied, but not heavy; fruity but not overly so; and just all-around yummy...It would be great with food, too!

My Grade: ++++

Barefoot Zinfandel, $7

Proof that first impressions aren't always right...

I bought a bottle of Barefoot Zinfandel (Lodi, California) from Walmart several weeks ago, and finally uncorked it this weekend.

I purchased this on recommendation from "The Wine Trials 2010", which blind-tasted and picked 150 top wines under $15 that beat $50+ bottles to feature in their book. They touted this wine as a rare find--a Zin for $7 that didn't "send you running for the hills". After reading their review, I decided I would give it a try.

I pulled the bottle from the fridge and poured myself a glass on Friday night. Upon sitting down at the table to taste it, I took a big whiff. The first thing that came to mind was that this smelled more like a Cabernet Sauvignon than a Zinfandel...It had the spicy, oak-vanilla-red berry aromas of a Cab, and was about the same color.

After taking a nice big sip, I noted that this medium- to full-bodied Zin also tasted like Cabernet Sauvignon--jammy red berries dominated, with spicy oak rounding out the background. So...It looks like a Cabernet, smells like a Cabernet, and tastes (almost) like a Cabernet, but it's a Zinfandel? I have to say, I felt pretty confused about this one. I knew there must be something more that would distinguish this as a Zinfandel, so I took several more sips.

Almost immediately, I noticed that there was something different about this one...and it wasn't very pleasant. A few sips in, I detected a weird, almost salty flavor that dominated on the palate and made it difficult to drink. After this discovery, I started writing this one off as a failure in my mind, but I also knew there was something "off" about it that deserved more investigation.

The next night, I poured myself a (much) smaller glass of the Barefoot Zinfandel, intent on finding out what "The Wine Trials" saw in this one that I was missing. Then it hit me--It was very similar in all facets to Cabernet Sauvignon, so why not try drinking it like a Cab? This time, I let the glass set out on the counter until it came to room temperature before tasting it, as you would Cabernet. I took one tentative sip, then another...And liked it. Not really liked it, definitely not loved it, but liked it. That weird salty flavor that put me off the night before was gone now, and the flavors were much more balanced as a result. I went back to my wine journal and noted my new impressions, and was glad to have given this one another chance.

I think too often we are quick to form judgments based on first impressions, and take them as our final opinion without revisiting them again. This wine is proof that sometimes, even when our first impression is decidedly negative, a little tweak in method can make a huge difference in the end result, and in our final opinion on the subject. My suggestion? If you don't like a wine (especially a bargain wine), try tasting it at different temperatures instead of tossing it in the trash can...It can't hurt, right? And you never know, you might be (pleasantly) surprised! =)

My Grade: +

P.S.--For some great direction and/or guidance in choosing bargain wines, I highly recommend "The Wine Trials 2010". Its method is completely unbiased, and the results may shock you...Gone are the days when you have to shell out big bucks for a good wine!

A White Zinfandel & A Sparkling Anniversary

For the past two nights, my hubby and I have eaten off ourbeautiful new ivory Waechtersbach dishware that we received as wedding gifts. The night before last, my mom and "little" brother (who is half a foot taller than I am) came over and I made Arroz con Pollo (A spanish dish--"Rice with Chicken") for dinner. My dad missed out since he was gone on business, but we had a good time regardless.

We ate the chicken and rice, baked beans, green beans, salad, and dinner rolls. I opened a 2007 Clear Bottle Bay White Zinfandel to go with our meal, although my mom and I were the only ones that drank any of it--my husband and brother opted for Coke instead.

2007 Clear Bottle Bay White Zinfandel, $7

I found this White Zinfandel to be just okay for my taste...It wasn't bad persay, but it's not something I'll buy again. As far as White Zinfandel goes, this fit the varietal to a T. It tasted very similar to the Sutter Home version I had over our honeymoon. That bottle seemed to improve after a couple of days of being open, but I'll have to rely on my mom's assessment on this one, because I sent the rest of the bottle home with her.

The Clear Bottle Bay White Zin was acidic first and foremost, and as sweet as it was, it somehow just didn't balance well on the palate. The strawberry flavors were nice, but the fruit tended to be overpowered by the acid as well. Overall, it was a light, zippy (though I'm not sure in a good way) wine that would probably taste better on a hot summer day.

My Grade: +/-

Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto 2008, $25

Last night was mine and my new hubby's one month "anniversary", so I made a nicer-than-usual dinner to celebrate. We ate off our new dishes again (which, by the way, make everything look more elegant!), and opened a celebratory bottle of Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto, which is a (slightly more expensive) sparkling wine from Italy.

My ever-so-helpful husband had to uncork the bottle, because I tend to have a deep-seated fear of things that go "POP" at unexpected moments, i.e., biscuit cans...I'm sure I'll have to get over it someday, but at this point in time, there usually seems to be someone around to enable me =]

Anyway, I poured a glass of the Banfi for myself, then offered a sip to my husband, who as most of you probably know by now isn't a wine drinker. At all. Surprisingly (after some coaxing to actually try it), he didn't make a horrible face, and although he said he'd still stick to his Bud Light, this was the best wine he'd tasted so far. I'll count that as a success any day, even though he went right back to his beer and didn't touch the wine again. Oh well...you can't make anyone love something just because you do, no matter how hard you try!

This sparkling cranberry-hued wine is brimming with fruit, both on the nose and the palate. It's sweet, but not too much so, as it has enough acid to balance it out. Rasberries and strawberries dominate on the tongue, with a touch of rose petals at the back if you take the time to really taste it. You wouldn't think rose petals could possibly taste good, but somehow they do, at least in this wine!

I think while drinking this wine, it would be impossible not to share in some of the joy it imparts. It's bright red, it's fruity, and it's sparkling with carbonation. How can you get more happy than that?!

My Grade: +++

2008 Watusi California Zinfandel, $7

Summertime in a Bottle

This fun, flirty Zin by Watusi is a delight to drink. It’s the first Zinfandel I’ve “formally” tasted, and it didn’t disappoint. Bright with prickly acidity and tannins, it provides excellent depth of flavors for a Zinfandel at this price point.

The Watusi Zinfandel is a medium-bodied strawberry red number that gives off aromas of red berries, florals, and a little oaky vanilla to round it out—in fact, I wrote down that it smells similar to a Cabernet.

On the palate, there are strong floral notes that dominate the first wave of flavors, along with strawberries and a trace of herbs. The floral taste lingers, but gives way to more red berries and a hint of peach, which gradually and subtly takes over and lingers on the finish.

This one may be too sweet for some (especially for the more exacting palate), but then again, Zinfandel isn’t a grape that conforms to French Bordeaux-loving standards either. If taken for what it is, this Zin is overflowing with joyous fruit flavors, and packs just enough acidity to balance out the residual sugar.

It turns out that this is not a very well-known wine, so it may be difficult to find; however, it just happened to grab my attention while heading for the checkout at World Market, and I’m glad I ended up buying a bottle of it. During what seems like a never-ending winter, this Zinfandel provides a glimpse of the bliss that is spring and summer!

P.S.--Sorry about the horribly blurry picture, guys...although I guess it kind of goes with this wine's illusiveness!

My Grade: ++++