Verde Sole Sierra Foothills 2009 Zinfandel, $11.47-$17.99, 88 points, now is as sexy as is its label, with an unfiltered appearance of ruby red trending crushed blackberry and an obligatory youthful clear rim.Having a lovely aroma of sweet cooking spice and cedar, this vintage is a startling maturation of a vineyard in a short period of time.
A medium-plus body greeted my palate with a smooth texture, good acidity, a backbone of tannin sufficient to hold-up to common American pizzas and barbecues.
Flavors are so much more pleasing than the last time I tasted this wine (What have they done to it?), and with some complexity of wild blackberries, plum, hints of chocolate and licorice make for a remarkably good red wine.
Finishes fair on a trailing palate, some spice, and a hint of heat (14.3% alcohol).
If Christian, the winemaker, keeps this progress going, he'll succeed in making all of us happy winos.
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What was the previous vintage you reviewed?
ReplyDeleteVinogirl, somehow there is some confusion with that, I believe that they are going to a non-vintage Zinfandel; I remain stumped, in that I referred to the winemaker, Christian, about tasting an earlier vintage (a concept he seemed to acknowledge), but I can't verify if all their Zins are made at the same time, but definitely a different flavor to the wine I tasted the year before (86 points). Sorry for the confusion.
DeleteI think the rule/law (in a Ca. AVA) calls for a bottle of wine to be 95% of a single vintage, anything over 5% has to be non-vintage...correct me if I'm wrong. ZD's expensive Abacus, made in a solera style, is such a wine.
ReplyDeleteVinogirl, the next time I see Christian I'll ask him; I know he liked the review, but I doubt he frequents this blog! He has roots in Massachusetts and (I forgot how) with Pine Ridge, but he is knowledgeable and likeable!
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