This bold Zin is quite flavorful with blackberries, boysenberries, and black currants, nicely layered with pepper and spice notes. Well balanced despite the 14.9 percent alcohol, the wine holds it well. The forward fruit is ripe but not jammy, mellowed by notes of pomegranate, cracked black pepper, herbs, and leather. It was delicious with a New York steak grilled over mesquite, and would complement grilled lamb chops, beef with a spicy Moroccan sauce, and chicken braised in Zinfandel. Available at the tasting room in Paso Robles, it’s $36 retail.
This article appears in Mar 12-19, 2009.
