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For further information and to subscribe to The World of Fine Wine, please visit www.worldofnewine.com or call +44 20 3096 2606 SAV OR CALIFORNIA ZINFANDEL : C A HAPPILY HEDONISTIC LIFORNI A Z INF A Stephen Brook introduces a tasting, shared with Alex Hunt MW and NDEL Andrew Jeford, which showed that California’s signature grape variety, while still sometimes prone to alcoholic excess, is capable of producing fine wines of structure and seriousness, even if its greatest talent is for a simple, uninhibited, succulent fruitiness that is rarely encountered elsewhere infandel is a chameleon, capable jamminess and Portiness is often Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. But the STEPHEN BROOK’S TOP WINES of putting on all manner of CELEBRATED OLD regarded as part of the varietal profile, eastern edges of the appellation, well TODAY THERE ARE St Francis Old Vines Zinfandel Sonoma County guises: fruity dry red, Port-like, VINEYARDS SURVIVE, although I would dispute this. Excessive away from the coastal ranges, can be MANY WINEMAKERS Z 2015 94 and—heaven help us—white (which is sugar levels at harvest result not only warm. Nonetheless, even these sites are AND THE CLIMATIC WHO SEEK, OFTEN Hartford Old Vine Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard a euphemism for pink and sickly sweet). in jamminess but in high alcohols. cooler than most of those in Dry Creek, Russian River Valley 2015 93 No wonder it is sometimes difficult CONDITIONS SEEM Whereas a handful of producers and the consequence is that the vines WITH SUCCESS, Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel Sonoma to persuade wine drinkers to take JUST RIGHT: PLENTY regularly succeed in producing Zins need more time to ripen and thus attain TO PRODUCE WINES County 2014 92 the variety seriously. The fact that for OF THE WARMTH THAT that hover around the 14% mark— higher sugars (and alcohols) than most THAT HAVE DENSITY Ravenswood Teldeschi Zinfandel Single Vineyard decades it had no fixed place of origin Nalle and Rafanelli, for example— of their Dry Creek counterparts. There Dry Creek Valley 2014 92 Easton Zinfandel Amador County 2014 92 didn’t help. (Was it from Italy? Or ZINFANDEL REQUIRES, are also some good Zinfandel sites in AND COMPLEXITY most tend to be about 15% or more. Sobon Estate Zinfandel Rocky Top Amador County Croatia? Or none of the above?) PLUS A RANGE OF Given the natural fruitiness of good Mendocino, and plenty in Paso Robles, WITHOUT SACRIFICING 2014 92 Yet there are red-wine lovers, WELL-DRAINED SOIL Zinfandel, such alcohol levels need which certainly has the warmth that’s THE HEDONISTIC Edmeades Mendocino County Zinfandel 2013 92 including the three tasters here, that TYPES AND DIFFERENT not pose a problem, so long as the needed. The very oldest vines are in ASPECT OF THE Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley relish Zinfandel, if not unreservedly. wine is sufficiently juicy and robust to Amador County, but the wines can show Sonoma County 2015 92 It may not be a noble grape, but it’s ELEVATIONS absorb high alcohol or at least make it a certain rusticity. That’s probably more VARIETY Hartford Old Vine Zinfandel Russian River Valley capable of making truly enjoyable red barely perceptible. the result of inexpert winemaking, 2016 91 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard Zinfandel 2014 91 wines. It remains true that its typicity in a more complex wine, with varieties Unfortunately, there has long been since there is a handful of magnificent One could cite Ridge as a pioneer Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley is hard to pin down. As well as the such as Carignan boosting the acidity a cult of overripe Zins, especially Zins from the Sierra Foothills. of this style, but today there are many Sonoma County 2015 91 aforementioned pink concoctions of the field blend, while the probable in regions such as Paso Robles and The tasters’ overall responses other winemakers who seek, often Grgich Hills Estate Zinfandel Estate Grown Napa and sometimes impressive Port-style role of Petite Sirah was to deepen the Amador County in the Sierra Foothills, confirm that there is no single Zinfandel with success, to produce wines that Valley 2012 91 wines, it yields serious reds in a range wine’s color. where wines of around 17% are not benchmark and that a range of styles have density and complexity without Radio-Coteau Lemorel Sonoma Coast Zinfandel of styles. Picked relatively early Shortly before harvest, it’s not unusual. This taster finds most of them is permissible, indeed welcome. sacrificing the hedonistic aspect of Sonoma County 2013 91 Shenandoah Vineyards Amador County Zinfandel or grown at a high elevation, it can unusual to find some green berries undrinkable, but they have their Alex Hunt and Andrew Jefford surely the variety. Andrew Jefford questions 2015 90 exhibit red-fruit characters; picked jostling shriveled ones on a Zinfandel following, especially when packaged express a widely held view, which I whether even the better wines can Frog’s Leap Zinfandel Napa Valley 2015 90 late, as many are, it displays brooding vine. This is the notorious uneven with garish labels declaring them to be share, when they relish in particular acquire much in the way of density, Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley black fruits. ripening at work. It complicates the “Monster Zins” or “Cardinal Zins.” an overtly fruity and exuberant style. weight, or complexity. That he is almost Somoma County 2014 90 In areas such as Sonoma’s Dry Creek winemaker’s task, because it’s not However, Hunt’s surprise at finding certainly right should not, as he insists, or Sonoma Valley, or in Mendocino, evident what the final result will be like. Enjoyment across a range of styles much to enjoy in more structured and detract from our admiration of a well- there are pockets of very old Zinfandel In practice, wineries will tolerate some It’s widely acknowledged that the sweet serious wines, especially from Dry made, utterly pleasurable Zin. That AVERAGE AND RANGE OF SCORES vines, increasingly prized as they divergence; a few green berries may spot for Zinfandel is Dry Creek Valley. Creek, reflects a growing sophistication it may not scale the greatest heights Average Range diminish in number, as growers are add a little valuable acidity, while the A number of celebrated old vineyards among Zin producers. They haven’t need not be cause for disappointment, tempted to pull them out in order to raisined few will contribute intensity such as Teldeschi survive, and the needed to set off rigorously in pursuit given its hedonistic character. Ambition Tasting 87 70–93 replant more profitable varieties such and sucrosity. climatic conditions seem just right: of balance to understand that harmony for its own sake—whether in terms SB 90 70–92 as Cabernet Sauvignon. Those ancient However, in California, where the plenty of the warmth that Zinfandel is a desirable attribute even in a wine of extraction or excessive new oak or vineyards are not usually varietally pure. merest hint of greenness is normally requires to ripen, plus a range of that is the enological equivalent of a extreme concentration—is not always AH 87 83–94 The old-timers, aware of Zinfandel’s regarded with dread by winemakers and well-drained soil types and different rock band. It’s a hard trick to pull off, a virtue. A well-made Zinfandel, propensity for uneven ripening, consumers alike, the tendency is to veer elevations that allow for different given the pitfalls to which the variety across a range of styles, is a delectable AJ 85 76–93 judiciously planted rows of other toward overripeness. Moreover, as Alex expressions of the grape. There is a is prone, but an ever growing number wine that doesn’t demand respect. varieties such as Carignan, Mourvèdre, Hunt MW observed, underpowered handful of old Zin vineyards in Russian of winemakers is now succeeding All it calls for is a capacity to provide or Petite Sirah. Often this resulted Zins can seem thin and weedy. Some River Valley, which is better known for more often than not. huge enjoyment. 210 | THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 60 | 2018 THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 60 | 2018 | 211 tasting / savor/ California Zinfandel Stephen Brook SB | Alex Hunt MW AH | Andrew Jeford AJ SAV Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine charm is there, and all that late-summer warmth, done by deliciously juicy acids; any oak is well out of heaviness or excess. Alcohol does make a brief ALEX HUNT MW’S VERDICT Zinfandel Sonoma County 2014 92 too, but there is a concentration, a substance, of view. Super-exciting young Zin, and well worth appearance toward the finish, but not really to the OR (14.5% ABV) a density to that warm berry fruit that lifts it seeking out for a full-throttle VR mouthful. | 90 detriment of the overall balance; the fruit is juicy Even if Zinfandel can be regarded as a Less successful were those wines that above its peers. Some tobacco complexity takes enough to justify it. | 93 chameleon variety to an extent, I have hitherto strayed in the direction of Cabernet, either : C SB | Opulent black-fruits nose, super-ripe but it beyond the merely fruity; delicate textures, Easton Zinfandel Old Vine AJ | Dark but translucent black-red.