This is an ode to my favorite grape varietal, Zinfandel. No! Really? Please forgive me for while I was "Zinning", I became a bit biased. Why did I become this way? Zinfandel is quite the challenge! Just open one and you'll find out. It's going to give you a run for your money. You may fall in love with it or you might try one and not make it back alive.
I remember going to my very first wine tasting, in 1999. I didn't know anything about wine. A friend asked me to help her look for the Zinfandel. I was looking for pink while she was searching for the "HOLY GRAIL" as she called it. Hmmm...To me, this Zinfandel was a mystery and I wanted to solve it.
But over the years, I found out that there's something very regal about Zinfandel. Rarely do people ever notice this. What comes with this regal title? Sometimes it's beauty, finesse and elegance. Sometimes it's excess and grandiosity. What makes this varietal tick? I've asked myself this question many times because I've never had two that were alike. Hopefully one day I'll find the answer.
I like my Zins elegant, racy and spicy, like the centerpiece of my photo, the 2006 Seghesio Family Vineyards Della Costa from the Alexander Valley in Sonoma County. I nicknamed this Zinfandel, "My Velvet Passion" because in effect that's what it was. And as I sat eating my beautiful meal of braised shortribs with tortelloni, this wine transported me to another universe. With that familiar burn, brambly, blackberry decadence mixed with all that spice, I was a goner in no time... I floated away and forgot where I was. It was quite the experience...
This is how I always want to feel when I drink my Zins or any red wine for that matter!.
The other Zins in the photo above are also Zins I've tried recently. All are great values, tasty and unique in their own way and I also enjoyed each and every one of them.
So that's it! I love Zinfandel and thankfully, it just gets better and better. I'm looking forward to my next one-- tomorrow, the next day and the day after that. Cheers everyone!
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