At Conundrum Wine Bistro, son Matt as the desiccated driver, so I went for a glass of white and then Sally and I split a bottle. To the wine room with Vinnie for the usual palaver. Never heard of the winery or the vineyard, although I have heard of both Mendocino and Zinfandel. Vinnie said “$32, you’ll like it”. Vinny was right. Besides excellent food, Vinny’s values on wine with bottle age are outstanding (2000 1st Growth Bordeaux for $1K if you’re up here and interested).
The aromas are black fruit with hints of black and green pepper and quite a bit of spice, not particularly varietal. The palate is firm, medium to full bodied, with fine solidity and balance. The black fruits (raspberry, some cherry), now have some red cherry layered underneath. The label says 14.9% alcohol, I would have guessed at least a point lower. The flavors are secondary and epitomize the almost Bordeaux-like character that some Zinfandels achieve with bottle age. This is neither the most intense nor elegant Zin I’ve had. If you like your Zins young, full-throttle and brambly, this will not be to your taste. But we were looking for a polite accompaniment to the full-flavored but subtle food that Vinny offers… buttermilk chicken for Sally, pork chop for me. We got what we wanted. Rated 89.3, ready to drink, no hurry.
Dan Kravitz