The Zen of Zin

Pity the fool who falls in love with Zin. Big, bold, peppery fruit-bomb Zin has a seductive quality that is irresistible to some of us. And once seduced, we are doomed to disappointment time and again. But not always. Because there’s always Seghesio.

That winery’s workhorse, the bluecap Zinfandel from Seghesio, first charmed us at a birthday dinner at Pot Pie. Or perhaps it was the luscious Old Vines Zin, since I’d swear it had a RED cap. In either case, it was love at first slurp, and we greedily grabbed the bluecap when we spotted it at Costco – where it retails for less than $17, when even at the vineyard itself it runs $20, as it does in most wine shops. The 2002 and the 2003 bluecap are completely pleasurable; the 2004, a little less so. But just a little. Icons of berry, avatars of jamminess: That’s what they are.

There are many Zins in the $15 to $20 range, and quite a few above and below. So far, I’ve yet to find one under $15 that’s worth the price. I tried the Alderbrook, $10, and the Rancho Zabaco Sonoma Heritage, about $12; both were given superior ratings by wine “experts,” experts who clearly have palates distinctly different from my own.

In fact, I can’t recall anything to say about these wines, other than that they were not rich and peppery; were most emphatically not bursting with deep, dark, delicious flavor, which HELLO! is the point of Zins. For me, at any rate. I like the intense, full-bodied expression of Zinfandels; heavy and complex, elegant, high acidity. Not the weaker-sister style of Zin that apparently appeals to some drinkers for some reason.

In the $20 to $30 range, the Elyse Zinfandel ((2004, Korte Ranch, Napa Valley) held great promise, and a promising nose. Just LISTEN to these tasting notes from Robert Parker: “Elyse has been fashioning fabulous Zinfandels over recent years and this 2004 is among the finest of the vintage. The outrageously superb, dark ruby/purple-hued 2004 Zinfandel Korte Ranch Vineyard (93% Zinfandel and 7% Petite Sirah) boasts creme de cassis, blackberry, raspberry, and sappy cherry-like characteristics. This full-bodied, full-throttle, dense, concentrated Zin is remarkably well-balanced for its potency and flavor depth.”

Is it any wonder we uncorked Elyse with great anticipation? But Lisa and I were both a bit crestfallen. The wine, while not exactly flabby, didn’t have the structure or spicy notes we craved. Too much plum, not enough berries. Sigh. At 94 points and $26, we expected more. More outrageous superb-ness.

Zin is, or was, considered the “wine of the people.” Meaning peasants, I suppose. Primitives. Rough-edged louts who didn’t have the refinement to grace their tables with high and haughty Cabernets. (Which must be why Italy’s genetic twin to Zin is known as Primitivo. Zinfandel has also been identified as a clone of the Croatian variety known as Crljenak, which certainly sounds like a peasant’s name.)

Well, THIS peasant is here to tell you that, while Cabs can be lovely, they are more often overpriced, particularly those from California. And high-end Napa Valley Cab makers have no shame, retailing their bottles for $70, $100, and MORE, even when they rate in the 86-89-point range. Which they often do. I’d rather spend $20, and drink a tasty 88-point Zinfandel.

Good Zins I’ve tasted in the past year include Seven Deadly Zins, Sin Zin, and just about any Zin from Seghesio (although we weren’t wowed by the 2004 Passalaqua in last month’s shipment from Seghesio. The Home Ranch, even the Cortina, were better).

Affordable Zins I hope to try soon include the myriad zinny offerings from Rosenblum, whose upper-end stuff gets glowing reviews (Rockpile comes to mind). Also the Cline and Bogle Old Vines – and I plan to seek out the latest Old Vines from St. Francis, since I remember the 2002 VERY fondly.