Zinfandel, as a grape, is a big, bad bruiser and this was
very evident in the first mouthful when I tried this one. It was so bracing
that I was ready to write it off as another one not quite up to HSC level, but
the second was much better and by the end of the bottle, I had found a very
well-rounded, nicely balanced, somewhat smooth, but charged with some acidity
libation.
As I’ve directly stated repeatedly, I will buy a wine based
on the label and this one, with its old-timey black and white drawing of a
scantily clad women drinking from a wine skin, was an immediate and instant hit
with me there, reminiscent of many old graphic novels, which stylistically were
reminiscent. This technique has also been used repeatedly to draw symbols and
demons, sometimes in centuries past and I’ve always had an innate fondness for
it. The drawing also fit the name of the wine somewhat in a more than passing
sense, but it’s mostly in cheeky playfulness hinting at naughtiness rather than
getting all the way into outright bawdiness, though I’d have no objections
either way, truth be known. It would not, after all, be the first winery to tie
sex in with wine… However, the main spirit here is that it’s all in good fun
and the winery seems to not only recognize that but also relish in it.
Heady stuff…but I digress. Zin, like some of the other
heavies out there, is one I typically do not gravitate to but it’s one rather
that’s nice to take out for a spin ever now and then and like an exotic sports
car, it’s better to feel it a trusted friend than potential adversary. This one
is a very good representative of what a Zinfandel can be at the higher levels,
though truth be told, like the other heavies, a wine this potent will need
significant air time, figure more like 45 minutes or so…
I don’t know if this goes on SPA or not as I rarely shop
that section, but I can’t think of any Zinfandels that would be a Standard for
me, this included. Thus, it comes in as a Mixed.
