Brazin Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2008

i really like a good, chewy zinfandel. this one from lodi california is right in my wheel house. selling for about $16, brazin is well worth a try. the nose has lots of black cherry and blackberry, some nice spice and vanilla and some mocha. the palate is very big and bold, with blackberry, plum and cocoa. there is some nice black pepper and some subtle earth notes. this is a chewy, full bodied zin with a long finish that begs for spicy red sauce pasta or a good steak. at this price it is very hard to pass up.

Graziano Zinfandel 2006

there is nothing like thanksgiving leftovers and a nice zinfandel to go with them. this one from mendocino county sells for about $14 and has just enough body to go well with all the flavors of thanksgiving, even if it is several days later. the nose had lots of cherry and a little licorice and some earth. the palate was a juicy explosion of plums, raspberries, spice, dark chocolate, a little coffee and some earth. the tannins were medium and the wine had a nice long finish. perfect for the spicing of a leftover turkey dinner. try this with a hearty stew or just sitting by a fire with a glass on a cold winter day. you won't be disappointed.

Edmeades 2006 Mendocino County Zinfandel

the thanksgiving wine for the wife and i was this zinfandel from california. we actually had this same wine last year but it was the 2007 vintage and was quite nice. always good to find a wine that works well with all the different tastes of the holiday feast. nice nose of black cherry and spice. a little bit of cedar and floral aromas in there too. the palate had juicy raspberry and cherry flavors. the wine was very soft on the tongue. i got some smoke, spice, a little floral violet and cedar in the flavor profile as well. sells for about $15. very nice zin at this price.

Seghesio Home Ranch Zinfandel Alexander Valley 2006

the bald wine geek is two years old! let's celebrate with a nice bottle of wine! i love a good bottle of zinfandel and seghesio makes some of the best i have tried. some time back i wrote about their lower priced sonoma version. i have had this $35 bottle in my cellar for the last two years. it is ready to drink! the nose is plum, blueberry, spice and a little anise. on the palate a burst of blackberry fruit and nice, firm tannins. the alcohol level on this wine is 15.7% but you would never know it. this well balanced zin doesn't give you that high alcohol burn. the flavors at mid-palate of raspberries and licorice continue the complexity. nice long finish on this one with some herbal sage notes. really a beautiful zin. although this one would work well with a good steak dinner, try this one alone. if you follow ratings systems, this one got 91 points from wine spectator. it is a real treasure. cheers and thanks to everyone who follows the blog!

Edmeades 2007 Zinfandel

this was my wine of choice last week for thanksgiving. never tried it before but read some descriptors at my local wine store and thought it would work well with the thanksgiving foods. the nose was full of berries, but it also had some really nice earthy notes as well. the palate was full in the mouth with plums and and blackberries coming through. i also got some real nice earth and meat flavors, followed by smokey spice notes. it held its own throughout the meal, blending quite well with all the foods that were offered. this will be a go to bottle going forward. sells for about $20.

Le Lapin Paso Robles Zinfandel (NV)

as promised, more of the rabbit ridge le lapin (the rabbit) line. the zinfandel is not the biggest, boldest zin you will find, but for the price ($7-8) it is quite nice. paso robles is known for some nice syrah's and zins, and this one is no exception. the nose was fruity and complex with black cherry, blackberry, spice and anise notes coming through. on the palate, ripe blackberry and bramble fruits in a full mouth feel. this was followed by some nice black pepper notes and finished with some tobacco flavors as the wine opened up. medium tannins and a medium finish. get a nice steak or stew, or spicy italian meal together and serve this with your meal and you will be very satisfied. this wine will also lay for a bit but at this price, drink it now.

Rosenblum 2006 Zinfandel

i am always on the lookout for good zins. i have found a few really nice ones and the price ranges have been all over the place. this california zin is quite nice, not over the top big and bold and the price is nice at $11. the nose was blackberry and maybe a little plum. also got some nice cedar and anise aromas as well. the flavors were black cherry and tobacco, with some grilled meat notes, some earth and leather and a nice pepper spice near the finish. hearty medium tannins and a nice long finish and i was ready for more. got a barbecue coming up? this would go well with those grilled red meats. good zin for the price and worth a second look.

McManis Zinfandel 2007

when is a zin not a zin? try this one from mcmanis and you will see. most of the zins i have tried are big, bold wines. this one has a really interesting subtle character to it that i really found enjoyable. the nose was a beautiful mix of raspberries and blueberries, with spicy clove notes mixed in. the taste was very fruit forward. flavors of blackberry and cherry, with some nice cinnamon and mocha notes mixed in at the back. very well balanced with medium tannins and a very long finish. this is not an over the top zinfandel. it has a very nice, refined character that i found very appealing. and the price of about $12 makes for an excellent buy.

Gnarly Head Old Vines 2006 Zinfandel

here is another lower priced zinfandel that i tried recently. selling for about $10 a bottle, gnarly head is worth a try. the nose is raspberries and cherries, with hints of dark chocolate and spice. the palate is full and juicy, with flavors of plums and chocolate. i also got some really nice pepper notes and a licorice taste as well. the finish was a little weak, but not bad. if you are on a budget, this is a nice, drinkable zin. not a huge wine, but at $10 it is pretty good.

Rodney Strong Knotty Vines 2005 Zinfandel

opened this bottle of zinfandel to enjoy as a nightcap. rodney strong is always a reliable winemaker, and this zin is no exception. the nose was blueberry, black cherry and pepper notes. the taste is big, jammy, slightly chewy and complex. at first taste the wine was a bit tight, but it opened up nicely as i let it sit. cherry flavors followed by pepper notes. then i got anise, and as the wine continued to open up i got a really nice dark chocolate flavor. on a second day the wine opened up even more and the anise flavor was more prevalent. the wine was even more complex with bigger fruit flavors. this was well balanced with medium tannins and a very nice, long finish. this wine could easily lay for a few more years. sells for about $20 and is well worth the price.

Rosenblum 2005 Paso Robles Zinfandel

i love the holidays because everyone breaks out many new wines. here is a nice zinfandel i offered to guests at the baldwinegeek home. the nose was earthy and full of black fruits and spice. the palate was exceptional. very full mouth feel, dominated by flavors of blackberry. there were flavors of chocolate, anise, herbal rosemary and cherry flavors as well. this was a big, bold, complex wine. sells for about $20 and is a bargain at that price.

Pepperwood Grove 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel

over the last couple of years i have tried several of the varietals from pepperwood grove. this is one of the sub brand labels for don sebastiani and sons. if you are on a tight budget, as most people seem to be these days, then give some of their wines a try. the zinfandel is quite nice. not a big, bold zin, but holds up well as a food wine. the nose was black cherry, pepper and i also got a tar-like note. after the wine had opened up, i also got a floral note on the nose. the palate was blackberry, strawberry, black pepper and a little spice of cinnamon, some earth and a touch of vanilla. not sure what is in the ground near the vineyards but almost all the wines under this label have hints of pepper in them. makes for interesting tasting. sells for about $8-9.

Farleigh 2005 Zinfandel

this was one of the wines served at our thanksgiving dinner. the nose was strawberry, cherry and peppery spice. there was also a great deal of heat. alcohol level was 15.9%, which for many wines can be a problem. in this case, it didn't seem to take away from the flavor. the palate was blackberry, leather, and pepper. there was a spicy heat from the alcohol level that didn't detract from the fruity flavors of the wine. this worked very well with the spicy flavors of the turkey and dressing. all for the very nice price of about $13-14. well worth another visit. and this would easily lay down for a few years.

Talus 2005 Zinfandel

with the baldwinegeek household on a limited budget, it is time to look for "value" wines. wine that can be purchased for around $10 or less. this zinfandel fits the bill, coming in at $5.99. and quite frankly it was not a bad zinfandel. there were a couple other minor grapes contributing to the wine, 5% sangiovese and 14% petite sirah, but the flavor and aroma was all zinfandel. the nose was strawberry and spice. the palate was cherry, chocolate and spice, with a little leather at the end. took the wine a little time to open up, but was quite nice once it did. we enjoyed this with some roast and garlic mashed potatoes.

Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2005

seghesio vineyards are noted for their zinfandels. this is one of the lowered priced offerings at about $25. i will be visiting another of their more expensive zins in the near future. as for the sonoma county zin, the nose was dark fruits, black pepper and a little alcohol burn on the nose. the alcohol in zins is usually higher than in other varietals. this one is no exception with an alcohol content of 15.2%. the flavor was of black raspberry, black pepper, and a little anise. the tannins were not overwhelming and the finish was long, somewhat sweet, and satisfying. this would pair well with a nice filet.

Burnet Ridge 2004 Zinfandel Field Blend

recently opened this bottle that i had laying down for a while. i've mentioned burnet ridge before. locally made in ohio from california grapes. wine maker chip emmerich does an excellent job blending his wines. this zinfandel is no exception. huge nose of black cherry, raspberry, spice and cedar notes. on the palate, a big, bold, jammy wine. raspberries, black cherries, vanilla, soft tannins. a cedar type note in the flavor as well. complex wine. very full, chewy mouth feel. this is a very good food wine. think steak, ribs, meaty dishes. the only drawback is the 15% alcohol heat that you get in the finish. but that is only a minor complaint. sells for $18.99, and is well worth the price if you like big, bold wines.

Leaping Lizard 2004 Zinfandel

big. bold. earthy. yummy! blueberry nose with some earth and spice hints as well. juicy ripe fruit tastes of blackberry and raspberry. hints of chocolate and spice. impressive wine with a nice finish. about $13 and very much worth the price. this is a really big wine for a relatively small price.