My most recent tasting of the Limerick Lane RRV Zinfandel had some definite pepper notes.
If the other posters’ comments paint a thematic element, it would be that higher altitude vineyards seem to produce more peppery Zins. As for Dry Creek AVA, I would say that I have noticed “brambly flavors”, but this is more akin to raspberry bush wild garrigue-like elements, not white or black peppercorns, IMHO.
Bought a 2012 Joseph Swan Zeigler Vineyard zin recently that was noticeably and distinctly peppery. 13.0% abv.
I love pepper. But it can be elusive. Normally I think of mountain Zins, or Zins with a high percentage of Petite. Sometimes it can fool you. I’m sitting here tasting two Ridge wines - a '14 Estate Merlot (Monte Bello, SCM) and a '15 Geyserville (12% Petite, Alexander Valley). The Merlot has noticeably more pepper character.
Also not a moderator, but I love participation from winemakers here and you gave ample disclosure of who you are, so from my perspective please keep it up.
Hmm, pepper is something I associate more with Syrah than Zin. Spice and “zinberry” are the aspects I look for in a great Zin. Is this just semantics?
+1 for Howell Mountain Zins. Oh man do I love them.
Re: the peppery note, any possibility that’s due to being blended with a bit of Petite Sirah?
You may try some Primitivo from the Puglia region. From what I remember they had a distinctive spicy character which might suit you.
Rotundone article Lodi Winegrape Commission - Blog - Ah, the smell of spice (that is, rotundone) in autumn wines Pepper in zins and syrahs
If you’re looking for pepper, you may want to give a try to Verduno Pelaverga. Burlotto, Castello di Verduno and F.lli Alessandria should be good examples.
It’s on Howell Mountain. Outpost and Black Sears with mountain fruit. Some Carlisle but I can’t tell you which ones.
This. In earlier vintages when I first had this wine (late 1990’s) the pepper in Zeigler zins was incredibly pronounced. The last bottle I had (a couple of years ago) was not as pronounced as I recall, but peppery nonetheless.
I’m with Alan. More often in Syrah than Zin, but some Zins have it. I remember Outpost and Howell but haven’t been drinking a lot of Zin lately. Pax used to get it from Castelli-Knight both in his big wines and his less-ripe ones.
I don’t think I’ve ever found it in Grenache. You can find a spicy note in some from the Rhone and even Spain, but that’s different from the pepper.
You also find pepper sometimes in Blaufrankisch, Zweigelt, and other grapes from Austria/Hungary. Usually it’s from a red grape grown in a slightly cooler place, but maybe that’s not relevant. In any event, I’m always happy when I find it.
I associate pepper, here in California, with Petite Sirah, a variety I do not care for.
Interesting. Grenache is the grape that I most associate with pepper, both black and white. When I more regularly drank Southern Rhones - which was often until the Cambiefication of that region - I drank lots of it, and it seemed like the 100% Grenache wines showed it most.
Another interesting point. Looking back, most of the Zins that I drank are cut with some PS. So perhaps the pepper is the PS and I was lead to believe it was the Zin. Hmm.
Very interesting, thanks.
Interesting, what some of us were saying above:
Rotundone in Zinfandel
“Many California Zinfandels are quite pungent in their rotundone/spice, but most of them are not. Why? Typical California Zinfandels tend to overload the senses with “jammy”-sweet fruit aromas; and are often aged in American oak barrels, giving strong, dillweed-like aromas which can obscure subtle notes of spice in the nose.”
Had a Board favorite drink this way this week, my wife ended up taking the bottle over and I segued to a Beaujolais.
If you mean black pepper like you find in Syrah, I actually don’t find that to be a varietal character in Zinfandel. At least with the clones I’ve worked with in the Sierra foothills. I think when pepper is found in zin its actually from other varietals blended in like Petite sirah.
Good point. I drank a fair number of Zins in the 80s/ 90s and loved those that exhibited the pepper notes. Many came from old vines Sonoma sources and a few from Paso Robles. Your thread reminded me its been a while since I can recall pepper in the last 10-15 years.
As stated by others, I look to N. Rhone Syrah, Grenache and Petit Sirah for that pepper and spice I so enjoy.
Nice. I didn’t know that - will have to check that out.