Wine Tasting: Zinfandel

It has been far too long since I've held my regular wine tastings, and what better way to restart them than with my favorite varietal of all, Zinfandel. Perhaps the most of California of all wines, winemakers have taken this grape way beyond the jammy, alcoholic fruit bombs of the past (though I even like those!). And tonight's line up was from some undisputed masters of the Zin craft. My favorites in bold. 

1. 2020 Scherrer Shale Terrace Alexander Valley Zinfandel, $42: one of my go-to Zin producers, this winery is a third-generation family-run operation in Sonoma, still making wine the old way: destemmed, but not crushed; fermented in simple open-top fermentors; and manually punched down. The Shale Terrace is made in small quantities from a small block of vineyard planted in the early 1970’s that makes a light, almost Pinot-like Zin. I thought this was very similar in style to the Sandlands (#5), but less intense.
2. 2020 Scherrer “Old & Mature Vines” Alexander Valley Zinfandel, $42: the main wine from Scherrer, built on old vines going back to 1912, this is basically my "house red." Middle weight for a Zin, and an amazing bargain if you buy it by the case in futures ($27/btl, paid a year before release).
3. 2019 Bedrock Lorenzo’s Heritage Dry Creek Red Wine, $50: #3 and #4 both come from the Teldeschi vineyard, one of the best zin sites in Dry Creek (which itself, is California's premier zin location). Both wines are field blends, which means that various grape varietals (here, 65% Zinfandel with the rest a blend of Carignan and Petite Sirah) are inter-planted, harvested, and fermented together. This one is made by Morgan Twain-Peterson's Bedrock Wines, while #4 is by his father, Joel Peterson, who founded Ravenswood, put quality zin on the map in the 1980s and 90s, and now owns Once & Future. The Bedrock version is more angular and challenging, in contrast to the more plush, rounded version from his father.
4. 2019 Once & Future "Teldeschi - Frank's Block" Sonoma Valley Zinfandel, $50: probably the consensus crowd favorite, this was approachable and plush, with no sharp edges, and yet still balanced and complex enough to be worth paying attention to. Clearly a lifetime of making zinfandels has taught Joel a thing or two. The Teldeschi Vineyard Frank’s Block is from the oldest block on the estate (planted in 1904), 75% Zinfandel with the balance Carignane and Alicante Bouschet.
5. 2019 Sandlands Lodi Zinfandel, $40: this is from another legendary zin maker, Tegan Passalaqua, who is the long-time winemaker at Turley. The Sandlands label is his side hustle, where he seeks out forgotten classic California varieties, primarily grown in sand, from regions and vineyards that have been farmed for many generations but have remained the outliers of California viticulture (e.g., Lodi, Contra Costa). Only recently has he started making zin under his Sandlands label, and this one was another crowd favorite, presenting a light, red-fruited version that was like a more intense version of #1. Great wine, and a bargain if you can get any -- Sandlands wines are sold almost entirely direct to his email list, which can take time to get onto.
6. 2019 Bedrock Wine Co. "Noma Vineyard" Lodi Zinfandel, $35: this is from a very old, own-rooted vineyard that was about to be abandoned and turned into warehouses on the east side of Lodi. When plans for the warehouses were delayed, Bedrock stepped in to farm it until their plans changed again. Tart, just ripe, fresh blackberries, is how I'd describe it.
7. 2019 Sabelli Frisch Faun Lauchland Vineyard Jahant Zinfandel, $32: from another micro-producer of California heritage vineyards, this was all like cherry compote, stewed strawberries, but with good acid. I liked it, but will admit that it's hard to think what food this would work with.
8. 2019 Fogline Vineyards Zinfandel Rocky Ridge Vineyard, $50: ah, here's the old school alcoholic fruit bomb of decades past. Too sweet for many, but I liked it. Think of it as a dessert wine, and you have the right idea.