Zinfandel

[El Diablo]

Zinfandel is a wine that for good reason is often looked down on. First off, a lot of people instantly think White Zinfandel, which is usually a pretty horrible overly sweet wine. Secondly, red Zinfandels are often pretty flat and not very balanced. Pretty blah in nature.

However, a good Zinfandel can be a really big, bold, well balanced red wine that can hold its own against Cabs, Syrahs, or whatever else you might prefer. Zins are one of my favorite wines.

I had the chance to participate in the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers 16th Annual Zinfandel Festival. I poured a bit and talked to a ton of winemakers and wine owners, then cruised around and tasted a bunch of Zins.

Wineries were pouring stuff ranging from a few older library wines to lots of current releases to barrel samples from stuff they haven't bottled yet.

Here were the standouts I tasted. A couple of very well known Zins there (Ridge, Turley) as well as a bunch of smaller wineries putting out some really great stuff.

http://www.edmeades.com/index.asp
http://www.gambawinery.com/
http://www.handleycellars.com/index.jsp
http://www.mauritsonwines.com/
http://www.outpostwines.com/
http://www.ridgewine.com/
http://www.saxonbrown.com/
http://www.starlitevineyards.com/
http://www.turleywinecellars.com/

Here's a full list with links to all the wineries: ZAP Zinfandel Festival

I'll write some more detailed reviews soon, but in the meantime check out and enjoy some of those zins!

[edfurlong]

If diebitter offs himself its on your masked head.

[PartyGirlUK]

Post deleted by Dean.

[El Diablo]

All,

Let's stay on topic. This thread is about wine, specifically Zinfandel.

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
All,

Let's stay on topic. This thread is about wine, specifically Zinfandel.

[/ QUOTE ]

i was just about to make the same post. remember guys this isn't OOT.

[PartyGirlUK]

Had anyone else never even heard of a 'Zinfandel'?

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
Had anyone else never even heard of a 'Zinfandel'?

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah of course, i had only really heard of white zinfandel though. i'm now interested in checking out a red.

[mason55]

[ QUOTE ]
Had anyone else never even heard of a 'Zinfandel'?

[/ QUOTE ]

I took a semester long wine class in college and I laughed when I saw Zinfandel on the syllabus the first day. I'll have to check out some of the suggestions, I don't think I've ever bought a Zin but I remember really liking the ones I tried. A good Zin is definitely a pretty big wine though and needs a big meal to go with it.

[daryn]

why did you laugh? do you just find the word zinfandel funny?

[Jurollo]

The only zinfandels I have ever experienced is on nights I got "Boonesed" the first couple years of college. Boonesed = Getting drunk off a lot of Boone's Farm.