Delectable Featured Wine

Full disclosure, we didn't taste this wine blind. But it does happen to be one of Turleygirl's favorites. Why she loves it:

"Usually when a wine region is just listed as California, the fruit comes from less-than-stellar sites. However, this wine is composed of 'young' vines, 6 to 30 years old, that have been replanted in some of our best vineyards (Napa's Hayne, Sonoma's Vineyard 101, and Paso Roble's Ueberroth). An absurdly good value, the Juvenile always gives an excellent picture of the vintage for Zinfandel across our great state of California!" — 9 years ago

with Christina

Delectable Featured Wine

Blind reaction:
"True zin character, darker fruit like blueberries and blackberries, some oak, maybe a cooler site—Sonoma again? It's definitely correct, well made. A crowd pleaser."

After the reveal:
"Makes sense! That vineyard is from the early 1900s. Old vines, take care of them and they'll make magic." — 9 years ago

with Christina

Delectable Featured Wine

Blind reaction:
"Hot damn, this is good. This is the kind of wine that will change the mind of a zin naysayer: super balanced, great texture & flavor. Cooler site, Sonoma Mountain maybe? The fruit seems more secondary, not at all hot. Just amazingly well made."

After the reveal:
"YEAH!!!! This wine is proof @Morgan Twain-Peterson and @Chris Cottrell are killing it, so proud of them! Number 1 pick for sure. So stoked. I bow." 🙌🏼 — 9 years ago

with Christina

Delectable Featured Wine

Blind reaction:
"Has a brambly, earthy quality I associate with mountain fruit, maybe Sonoma Mountain? Fruit forward and rich, but not jammy. Light new oak sweetness. Definitely good restraint, well made."

After the reveal:
"Oooh nice, from western Napa - not far off from Sonoma Mountain at all! I have a soft spot for the classic small family wineries, especially those making zin in Napa—not something you see too often anymore. You can tell they understand their land and vineyards well. This wine is in that family's blood." — 9 years ago

with Christina

Delectable Featured Wine

Blind reaction:
"Great old world rusticity. Clearly expertly made. A zin-lover's dream, great aromatics, dense, juicy fruit, strong backbone. This is a serious wine."

After the reveal:
"Of course! Mike Officer is a brilliant winemaker and ridiculously knowledgeable about vineyards. The deep fruit and earth flavor profile is classic Russian River Valley. This is one worth cellaring; it has all the complexity and power to age beautifully." — 9 years ago

with Christina

Delectable Featured Wine

Blind reaction:
"Wild, sauvage! It has a Southern Rhone feel to it—some garrigue, great acidity."

After the reveal:
"Evangelho! We work with some fruit from this old (late 1800's) vineyard as well, and it's fairly mixed, as most old vineyards are. The Carignan & Mourvedre interplanted give the Rhone-y feel, and the sandy soils explain the wine's acid backbone." — 9 years ago

with Christina

Delectable Featured Wine

Blind reaction:
"Oooh, this is interesting, more spice than fruit. Tastes super young. Not in a bad way, just primary, like it will age. Great acidity and texture. Something distinct and familiar here, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

After the reveal:
"Oh rad- Tribidrag is Zinfandel's historic name. @Carole Meredith is amazing, one of the main folks that traced Zinfandel to its Croatian heritage. She's a true hero of mine. This reminds me a lot of the wines I had in Croatia. I believe she may have even brought some of those vines back and planted them in her vineyard up on Mt. Veeder!" — 9 years ago

with Christina