Grown in the famed Margarita Vineyard, this bold, flavorful red offers big brambly flavors of blackberries, boysenberries, and plums. The forward fruit is nicely balanced by tangy notes of raspberry, earth, and spice. A blend of 96 percent Zinfandel and 4 percent Syrah, it’s just the ticket for Santa Maria-style barbecue, a really great cheeseburger, or barbecued baby back ribs. Available at the Santa Margarita tasting room, it’s an excellent buy at only $16 retail.
This article appears in Dec 22-29, 2010.