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Napa Cellars: Good Value Reds from Napa Valley

Kori — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:43 +0000

Founded by Rich Frank and Koerner Rombauer in 1996, Napa Cellars was acquired by Trinchero Family Estates ten years later. Trinchero Family Estates have been producing wines for over 60 years. Through the years, the Trinchero family and the company have expanded. Today, Trinchero represents over 27 brands in the United States and Australia.

Winemaker Joe Shirley received his Master of Science in Enology from UC Davis and launched his winemaking career in 1997. He joined Trinchero Winery in 1999 and worked his way up to winemaker for Trinchero Family Selection and Trinchero Napa Wines in 2002. In 2007, Joe was named head winemaker for Napa Cellars.

Napa Cellars produces seven different wines. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste their 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Zinfandel, and 2009 Merlot in a blind samples tasting. All three wines were good and are very reasonably priced for Napa Valley wines.

2008 Napa Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, California): 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. Deep purplish red. Aromatic with black fruit, earth, and leather on the nose. More black fruit and leather as well as cocoa and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $26

2009 Napa Cellars Zinfandel (Napa Valley, California): 88% Zinfandel and 12% Petite Sirah. Deep ruby red in color. Nice nose with red plum and spice aromas. Red plum, strawberry, spice, and a hint of pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $22; Available elsewhere, $15 to $22

2009 Napa Cellars Merlot (Napa Valley, California): 100% Merlot. Deep red in color. Black plum and blackberry dominate both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $22; Available elsewhere, $16 to $22

Napa Cellars: Good Value Reds from Napa Valley was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

St. Francis Winery “Old Vines” Zinfandel

Kori — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:00:39 +0000

St. Francis Winery, located in Santa Rosa, California, has been producing varietal wines from Sonoma County vineyards for over 35 years. Co-founder Joe Martin and his wife Emma purchased the 100-acre Behler Ranch Vineyard in Sonoma Valley in 1971. After several years in the vineyard business, Joe and his business partner Lloyd Canton established St. Francis Winery in 1979. The winery is named for St. Francis of Assisi, who is believed to have been the first to bring European grape cultivation to the New World.

In 1999, St. Francis built a new winery facility on the Wild Oak Vineyard, which is about one mile from the original winery site. The St. Francis Visitors Center was completed in 2001 and features three separate tasting bars.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste their 2007 “Old Vines” Zinfandel in a blind samples tasting. It is excellent and delivers serious bang for your buck. To be used in the St. Francis “Old Vines” Zinfandel program, the vines must be at least 50 years old, and many are 100 years old, must be head pruned without benefit of trellising, and must be dry farmed.

2007 St. Francis Winery “Old Vines” Zinfandel (Sonoma County, California): Deep red in color. Nice nose with molasses and black fruit aromas. Black plum, cinnamon, and apple cider come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $19.95; Available elsewhere, $12 to $26

St. Francis Winery “Old Vines” Zinfandel was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Dry Creek Vineyard’s The Mariner

Kori — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:00:07 +0000

Dry Creek Vineyard, founded in 1972 by David Stare, is located in the heart of Dry Creek Valley just outside of Healdsburg, California. Today, Dry Creek Vineyard is run by David’s daughter Kim Stare Wallace and her husband Don. Well-known for their Fumé Blancs and Zinfandels, Dry Creek Vineyard also produces a number of other excellent wines including their signature Meritage red blend called The Mariner.

We recently had the opportunity to taste the 2007 vintage of The Mariner in a blind samples tasting. Each vintage they select the best lots to produce this classic Bordeaux-style blend. The 2007 vintage is a blend of all five Bordeaux varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Each variety spent more than nine months in French oak before being blended together and aged an additional twelve months in French oak.

We continue to be impressed by the quality wines being produced by Dry Creek Vineyard, and the people behind the winery are wonderful folks to boot. The Mariner is worth a try if you see it on the shelf at your local wine shop or on a restaurant wine list. And if you are visiting Sonoma County, I highly encourage you to visit Dry Creek Vineyard.

2007 Dry Creek Vineyard The Mariner Meritage Red Blend (Dry Creek Valley, California): 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep, dark red in color. Aromatic with blackberry liqueur on the nose. Blackberry, chocolate, cocoa, and a hint of coffee comes through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $40; Available elsewhere, $25 to $40

Dry Creek Vineyard’s The Mariner was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Sineann’s Peter Rosback…a Jack of Many Vineyards

Kori — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:00:38 +0000

Peter Rosback is one of the most well-known and well-respected winemakers in the Pacific Northwest. Rosback got his start in winemaking in 1985 as a home winemaker experimenting with Pinot Noir. In 1986, he began making Old Vine Zinfandel from The Pines Vineyard. Rosback entered the wine business commercially in 1994 when he and David O’Reilly founded Sineann (pronounced “shuh-nayn”) Winery. O’Reilly went on to start his own Owen Roe Winery, and Rosback has continued with Sineann. Today, Sineann produces between 10,000 and 12,000 cases annually.

While Sineann is located in Newberg, Oregon, in the heart of Pinot Noir country, and Rosback got his start with that grape, his portfolio of wines includes much more than Pinot. Almost all of his wines are single-vineyard designated from vineyards in Oregon, Washington, California, and even New Zealand. Sineann’s Sauvignon Blanc is closed with a screwcap while all of the other wines are sealed with glass closures.

We had the pleasure to visit Sineann during a recent visit to Oregon’s Willamette Valley. I highly encourage you to do the same the next time you are in the area. We tasted a total of 17 wines. Our favorites were the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Baby Poux from Champoux Vineyards in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills and the 2008 The Precious Late Harvest Gewurztraminer from the Columbia Gorge. Both are outstanding. Sineann also makes another dessert wine that I would love to try called Sweet Sydney, named for one of Rosback’s daughters. Sydney just happens to be the name of our daughter, too. Sweet Sydney is a limited production Zinfandel icewine, and, unfortunately for us, was all sold out when we visited. As you will see from my notes and ratings below, Sineann produces a number of wines worth checking out if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop or on a restaurant wine list.

Our favorites:

2009 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Baby Poux Vineyard (Columbia Valley): Deep, dark purplish red in color. Nice nose with blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, and coffee aromas. Big black fruits, chocolate, and espresso bean comes through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with big yet smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $42; Available elsewhere, $36 to $62

2008 Sineann The Precious Late Harvest Gewurztraminer (Columbia Gorge): Light amber brown color. Extremely aromatic with honey, caramel, prune, and dried apricot on both the nose and palate. Very sweet and sticky, medium to full-bodied with good acidity, and a long, yummy white peach finish. Residual Sugar: 43%
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $24 [375ml]; Available elsewhere, $23 to $25

Here’s a breakdown of the rest of the wines that we tasted during our visit:

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Sugarloaf Mountain, California, $42, QPR: 5
2007 Sineann Pinot Noir Lachini, Willamette Valley, $36, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann Old Vine Zinfandel, Columbia Valley, $39, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann Petit Verdot, Champoux Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $48, QPR: 2

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2009 Sineann Abondante Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2008 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2007 Sineann Pinot Noir Schindler, Willamette Valley, $36, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann Merlot Champoux, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Pinot Noir Resonance, Yamhill-Carlton, $42, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Pinot Noir Yates Conwill, Yamhill-Carlton, $42, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, $20, QPR: 2

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2009 Sineann Cross-Check Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2009 Sineann CJ Port Zinfandel, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 3
2009 Sineann Pinot Noir, Oregon, $30, QPR: 3
2010 Sineann Gewurztraminer Resonance, Willamette Valley, $18, QPR: 2

Sineann’s Peter Rosback…a Jack of Many Vineyards was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Chateau Montelena Winery: A California Icon

Kori — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:00:26 +0000

Chateau Montelena Winery, located in the Calistoga District in California’s Napa Valley, propelled onto the world stage during the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris. At the competition in Paris, four white Burgundies were tasted against six California Chardonnays. The French judges awarded the top honor to Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay. It was a remarkable triumph and showed the world that California wines had come of age. The story of the competition was depicted in the 2008 film Bottle Shock, some of which was filmed at Chateau Montelena.

Founded in 1882 by Alfred Tubbs, Chateau Montelena was non-operational from the early 1900’s until 1972 when Jim Barrett purchased it. Barrett restored most of the original vineyards and completely refurbished the winery. At the time of the purchase, Jim’s son, Bo, had just graduated from high school. He has been involved ever since and was named winemaker in 1982. Today, his official title is Master Winemaker. Cameron Parry joined the winemaking team at Chateau Montelena in 2004 and was named winemaker in 2008. Cam now manages all of the winemaking operations under Bo’s direction. Chateau Montelena produces 35,000 cases annually.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the current release of their 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in a blind samples tasting. It is excellent and indicative of the quality wines that Chateau Montelena continues to produce.

2008 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, California): 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep red in color. Nice nose with blackcurrant and oak aromas. Blackcurrant, black cherry, oak, and leather come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, chewy tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $49; Available elsewhere, $35 to $50

Chateau Montelena Winery: A California Icon was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Domaine Carneros: Napa Valley Sparkling Wine by Taittinger

Kori — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:00:28 +0000

Founded in 1987 by Champagne Taittinger of France in partnership with Kobrand Corporation, Domaine Carneros is located in the heart of Carneros in California’s Napa Valley. Claude Taittinger, the president of Champagne Taittinger, began searching for a site to open a winery in the United States in the late 1970’s. He selected a site in the Carneros AVA because he believed that it had the potential to produce world-class sparkling wines. Domaine Carneros sources 95% of their fruit from estate vineyards, and all of their wines are labeled with the Carneros appellation. Eileen Crane is the winery’s first and only winemaker.

Calling upon Taittinger’s knowledge of producing quality Champagne in France, Domaine Carneros has established itself as a world-class sparkling wine house in the United States. Domaine Carneros produces three styles of sparkling wine: Brut, Brut Rosé, and Blanc de Blancs. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste their Brut Rosé Cuvée de la Pompadour in a blind samples tasting. A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this Brut Rosé is excellent and a great representation of the quality sparkling wine that Domaine Carneros produces.

The Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé Cuvée de la Pompadour is named for Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of Louis XV, who is credited with introducing Champagne to the court at Versailles.

“Champagne is the only wine a woman can drink and remain beautiful.” –Madame de Pompadour, namesake of the Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé Cuvée de la Pompadour

So when you are selecting sparkling wines to enjoy during the rapidly approaching holidays, I encourage you to give Domaine Carneros, and particularly this Brut Rosé, a try. And if you are ever in the Napa Valley, consider a visit to their beautiful chateau.

NV Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé Cuvée de la Pompadour (Carneros, Napa Valley, California): 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay. Pale pinkish salmon color. Small, fairly fast bead of bubbles. Very aromatic with strawberry, peach, and floral notes on the nose. Strawberry, raspberry, citrus notes, and a hint of spice come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $35; Available elsewhere, $28 to $50

Domaine Carneros: Napa Valley Sparkling Wine by Taittinger was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Bordeaux Varieties from Dry Creek Vineyard

Kori — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:00:31 +0000

Dry Creek Vineyard, founded in 1972 by David Stare, is located in the heart of Dry Creek Valley just outside of Healdsburg, California. Well-known for their Fumé Blancs and Zinfandels, Dry Creek Vineyard also produces a number of other good wines. Today, Dry Creek Vineyard is run by David’s daughter Kim Stare Wallace and her husband Don.

We recently had the opportunity to taste three wines from Dry Creek Vineyard in a blind samples tasting, the 2006 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2007 Meritage, and the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. All three wines were good, but we especially enjoyed the Endeavour Cab. While primarily known for Zinfandel, the Dry Creek Valley actually has more Cabernet Sauvignon planted than any other variety. The fruit for the Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from Dry Creek Vineyard’s Endeavour Estate Vineyard. Located in the Lytton Springs area of Dry Creek Valley, Endeavour is a sustainably farmed vineyard.

All three of these wines are worth a try if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop. And if you are visiting Sonoma County, I highly encourage you to visit Dry Creek Vineyard.

2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley, California): 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Deep, dark red. Beautiful nose with chocolate and black fruit aromas. The palate explodes with chocolate and black fruits. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $60

2007 Dry Creek Valley Meritage (Sonoma County, California): 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 11% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep ruby red in color. Aromatic with red fruits, floral notes, red pepper, and spice on the nose. Red and black fruits as well as spice and floral notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, dry tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $28; Available elsewhere, $21 to $27

2007 Dry Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley, California): 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with licorice, spice, and black fruits on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25; Available elsewhere, $18 to $28

Bordeaux Varieties from Dry Creek Vineyard was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Challenging Wine Pairing: Thai Red Curry Beef

LaGayle — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:00:55 +0000

Thai food is so popular that I wanted to do another Thai dish for a challenging wine pairing. Since our family especially enjoys spicy dishes, I decided to try a red curry dish using strips of sirloin steak in this recipe. Delicious!

The menu for this pairing consisted of the Thai red curry beef dish, rice, sautéed snow peas, and fresh mango. As with most of our challenging wine pairing dinners, I consulted What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page to determine what wines to pair with the meal.

While there are a number of wines that can be paired with this dish, we decided to go with a Zinfandel blend and a Merlot. We enjoyed the 2009 Ridge Three Valleys Zinfandel blend from California’s Sonoma County and a 2007 Watermill Merlot from the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. While both wines were excellent, three of the four of us preferred the Zinfandel blend with the meal.

We’d love for you to share in the comments what you would have paired with this meal. And, as always, we welcome your suggestions for challenging wine pairings for us to try in the future.

Bon Appétit!

2009 Ridge Three Valleys (Sonoma County, California): 70% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 15% Carignane, 3% Grenache, and 2% Mataro. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with red cherry, clove, and spice aromas. Flavors of red fruits, particularly strawberry, and spice. Medium to full-bodied with medium, soft tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $22.79; Available elsewhere, $18 to $29

2007 Watermill Merlot (Walla Walla Valley, Oregon): Deep, dark purple. Aromatic with black fruits, especially black cherry and black plum, and smoke on the nose. More black cherry, black plum, coffee, and baker’s chocolate come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $24; Available elsewhere, $22

Challenging Wine Pairing: Thai Red Curry Beef was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Rodney Strong Single Vineyards: Rockaway and Brothers Ridge

Kori — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:00:12 +0000

Rodney Strong founded Rodney Strong Vineyards, located in Healdsburg, California, in 1959. Current owner Tom Klein and the Klein family purchased the winery in 1989. In 2005, Klein added a “winery within a winery” concept to the Rodney Strong portfolio to focus on small-lot, artisan winemaking. The debut release from their Single Vineyards line was the 2005 Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon. It was the first in a series of three single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons. The Brothers Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon debuted the following year with the 2006 vintage. Later this year, the third in the trio of wines will be released, the 2008 Alexander’s Crown Cabernet Sauvignon.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the 2007 vintage of both Rockaway and Brothers Ridge in a blind samples tasting. Both wines are very good, but we especially enjoyed the Rockaway.

The fruit for both wines comes from the Alexander Valley in California’s Sonoma County. Rockaway Vineyard is located in the eastern hills of the Alexander Valley, just south of Geyserville. Established in 1994, Rockaway is planted to all five of the classic Bordeaux varieties with the majority being Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Its soil is comprised of gravelly clay subsoil over fractured sandstone. Brothers Ridge is located in the eastern hills of Cloverdale, which is the warmest region of the Alexander Valley. Its 141 acres are planted mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon along with smaller amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Its soil is comprised of well-drained loam with sandstone, shale, and ancient greenstone underneath.

If these Single Vineyards wines are out of your price range, Rodney Strong also offers a lineup of more moderately priced wines that we have found to be good with high QPRs.

2007 Rodney Strong Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon (Rockaway Vineyard, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red in color. Nice nose with black fruit and black pepper aromas. Gorgeous black fruits, black pepper, spice, and licorice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $75

2007 Rodney Strong Brothers Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (Brothers Ridge Vineyard, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California): 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with black fruits and subtle earthy notes on the nose. Black fruits, earth, and a touch of spice on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $75

Rodney Strong Single Vineyards: Rockaway and Brothers Ridge was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Redwood Creek Lodi Zinfandel

Kori — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 15:00:05 +0000

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2008 Redwood Creek Lodi Zinfandel from the Lodi region of California.

Our selection criteria include:

A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
A price tag of <=$15
Must be widely available

Redwood Creek is one of the brands in the E. & J. Gallo Winery portfolio. E. & J. Gallo Winery, headquartered in Modesto, California, is the world’s largest family-owned winery and the largest exporter of California wine. Sixteen family members spanning three generations of the Gallo family actively work at the winery. Redwood Creek’s winemaker, Cal Dennison, has been making wine for over 25 years.

“This 2008 Lodi Zinfandel embodies flavors of dark berries and blackberry jam with notes of chocolate and spice.” –Redwood Creek

2008 Redwood Creek Lodi Zinfandel (Lodi, California): Deep, purplish red in color. Nice nose with blackberry, cherry, and pasta sauce aromas. More red and black fruits as well as spice and a hint of chocolate come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and very crisp with medium to high tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $7.99; Available elsewhere, $6

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Redwood Creek Lodi Zinfandel was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.