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Summer Wine Pairings featuring Zinfandel

Jun 30, 2019 · 24 Comments

The following message is intended for those 21+ and products have been provided by Zinfandel. All opinions expressed are my own. Please enjoy responsibly!

Zinfandel – a Croatian grape made famous by Californian wineries, and that, oddly enough, got its start as a prized raisin grape of all things in the early 1800s.

Since then, Zinfandel has become intensely popular, in particular in North America. However, by the end of the 1970s, this deeply colored, bold bodied red-wine grape, was mostly being fermented into sweet, light-pink ‘White Zinfandel.’ Conversely, Zinfandel that doesn’t receive this ‘fermentation makeover’ is dubbed ‘Red Zinfandel.’

However, across the modern wine landscape, Zinfandel has something of a ‘duality’ of reputations. White Zinfandel is often very accessibly priced and is largely, but far from always, the object of scorn by most wine snobs – despite retaining much of its former popularity with the wider wine-consuming public. Red Zinfandel, by contrast, fetches considerably higher prices, and typically receives more critical accolades, despite accounting for less than a fifth of all Zinfandel production.

You can be the judge of which incarnation of the wine has the better end of the deal.

The Bottles – A Showcase

Today we’re reviewing four bottles of Californian Zinfandel,

Up first we have a Ridge 2017 Geyserville Zinfandel, courtesy of Ridge Vineyards located in Sonoma County. Zinfandel from Sonoma County tends to be a bit higher in alcohol volume than most of their counterparts, which often brings out notes of chocolate or earthy qualities in the wine, and sometimes a hint of spice.

Next, we have a 2017 Mustang Springs Zinfandel, which came to us courtesy of Peachy Canyon Winery, sourced from the Adelaide District of Paso Robles. In my past experience with Paso Robles Zinfandel, this variety of the wine tends to be somewhere between medium and heavy bodied, and carries striking summer floral notes, and perhaps what I’ll lovingly describe as accents “Dessert Flowers.”

Third, in line, we’ll be taking a look at a 2016 Berryessa Gap Zinfandel, courtesy of Berryassa Gap Vineyards.

Finally, we have a 2015 Old Vine Zinfandel, courtesy of the Seghesio Family Vineyards, located in Sonoma County.

Aromatics and Tasting – The Review

The Ridge 2017 Geyserville Zinfandel opens with ‘dark’ aromatics of cocoa, espresso grinds, and damp earth, which warm into savory notes deeper into the glass, think of grilled red fruit. On the palate, the wine is full and bold, with medium tannins. The aromatics largely carry over into an acidic palate, leading with herbs, such as basil dusted with espresso, with dark chocolate notes lingering in the distant background, all of which is laced in muted red fruit notes.

The 2017 Mustang Springs Zinfandel greets with a syrupy bouquet of dark fruit dusted in white pepper, with damp herbal notes deeper into the glass. On the palate, herbs like thyme, basil, and perhaps a pinch of anise are persistent throughout, set over a foundation of the dark fruit from the palate.

The 2016 Berryessa Gap Zinfandel introduces itself with almost overpowering ripe berry notes, set over a thick fruity essence deeper into the glass, where very subtle leathery or antique wood notes add a bit of complexity and welcomed maturity to the bouquet. On the palate, the wine alternates between announcing itself with crisp acidity and lush red and black berry notes, and more refined, laid back earthy qualities, such as antique wood or smoked leather and coffee grinds. It’s a pleasantly complex affair that has the effect of luring the imbiber into “Just one more sip” to see where the wine will lead you next.

The 2015 Old Vine Zinfandel opens with dusty or dried herbs, think sage, cracked pepper, and perhaps a touch of dried cilantro. There are sweeter notes peppered through, such as raspberry and perhaps anise or licorice. On the palate, the wine is zesty with ripe tannins, while the raspberry from the bouquet carries over quite nicely, with the addition of crushed cherry and just a touch of anise. The finish is lasting and leaves a definitive ‘perfumed’ quality on the palate.

What to Eat – Pairing Today’s Bottles

Zinfandel is a great wine for barbecue, making it ideal for this season’s backyard get-togethers. You might consider steaks rubbed in coarse salt, and then seared in garlic and rosemary, and platted topped with blue cheese. Consider pairing those steaks with with grilled vegetable skewers, think chunks of zucchini, quartered tomatoes, onions, and fresh basil, liberally seasoned with herbs.

Stuffed peppers or tomatoes would also pair excellently. Consider our stuffed pepper recipe as an example.

You might also consider lamb or beef burgers prepared with caramelized onions and mushrooms, topped with manchego cheese.

Spinach or meat stuffed empanadas would pair deliciously. Check out our recipe here for a perfect example of what I’m talking about.

And that’s a wrap. I can wholeheartedly recommend these wines to anyone looking for a great example of the Zinfandel varietal.

Have you tried today’s wine, or similar bottles? If so, comment below or tag us on Instagram and let me know what you thought.

Cheers!

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Wine Reviews wine reviews, zinfandel grape

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Fiona Cambouropoulos says

    01/07/2019 at 3:43 pm

    I'm looking at this an hour too early and fancing a glass of wine now! Summer wine and BBQ's really do go together.
    Reply
  2. Claudia Lamascolo says

    01/07/2019 at 4:25 pm

    I have plenty of empty spaces on my wine rack to fill with these delicious lookings and sounding wines! thanks for posting!
    Reply
  3. Stacie says

    01/07/2019 at 7:42 pm

    This post has made me so hungry! I seriously want to throw a little party now, just so I can put together some awesome food and great wine.
    Reply
  4. Romy Schorr says

    01/07/2019 at 11:13 pm

    I love the wine pairings featuring zinfandel. When you have the perfect pairing it makes the wine oh so much better.
    Reply
  5. Melissa Dixon says

    02/07/2019 at 12:46 am

    That platter and a bottle of wine is all I need. I would enjoy that right about now, after a long hard day at work that sounds refreshing. Now if I can just get a little time to do this, my husband and I would love it.
    Reply
  6. kumamonjeng says

    02/07/2019 at 2:45 am

    Glad to learn so much from the wine culture, the different flavor and what to pair them with. This is certainly a great knowledge for me.
    Reply
  7. Katie Davies says

    02/07/2019 at 6:57 am

    I always get stuck kmowing which wine to pair with which dish, these wines look and sound delicous!
    Reply
  8. Suzanne says

    02/07/2019 at 6:15 pm

    Great shots taken during that golden hour! The wine looks very good.
    Reply
  9. Cheese Curd In Paradise says

    02/07/2019 at 7:51 pm

    I love learning about different wine pairings and these sounds so tasty. I would love to sit on my patio and enjoy a few glasses with a few snacks.
    Reply
  10. Arya says

    02/07/2019 at 8:14 pm

    What a great way to enjoy a beautiful summer evening with your loved ones.
    Reply
  11. Lisa says

    02/07/2019 at 9:37 pm

    This is so droolworthy! I'm loving all the combinations here, and it's put me in the mood for summer.
    Reply
  12. Mama Maggie's Kitchen says

    02/07/2019 at 11:21 pm

    Hmmm yum! I love wines. Must try all these very soon!
    Reply
  13. Lisa Rios says

    03/07/2019 at 1:10 am

    I am not a fan of wine, honestly. But I do appreciate that people come up with ways to pair your favorite meals if you choose to drink it.
    Reply
  14. Rosey says

    03/07/2019 at 2:08 am

    I wouldn't know how to pair if I tried. My son's girlfriend has a certificate in it though, which is pretty cool. :)
    Reply
  15. Yeah Lifestyle says

    03/07/2019 at 5:25 am

    Thank you for these suggestions as Zinfandel is one of my favourite type of wine to drink and I am always looking for things to pair it with such as cheese so will try manchengo next time.
    Reply
  16. Sondra Barker says

    03/07/2019 at 8:06 am

    I love all things wine and this is a great article to go off of! I could easily go through those bottles because they look delicious -Sondra Barker @cuisineandtravel.com
    Reply
  17. Ginger says

    03/07/2019 at 12:07 pm

    This is such perfect timing for me to come across. My husband and I are just starting to get into wine and always looking for some good suggestions. Thanks for sharing!
    Reply
  18. alexandra cook says

    03/07/2019 at 2:12 pm

    It looks really delicious! I would certainly try this thank you for sharing this, it helped :))
    Reply
  19. Kalyan Panja says

    03/07/2019 at 4:11 pm

    I guess your wine posts are just too tempting. I wish I could be around winelands for most parts of the year.
    Reply
  20. Lasonia says

    03/07/2019 at 9:43 pm

    I really enjoyed your article. Such tasty wine pairings. We love to enjoy a good bottle of wine on the weekends.
    Reply
  21. Jackline A says

    04/07/2019 at 1:13 am

    Wine and cheese sounds like a great idea to enjoy the summer weather. Thank you for the suggestions in pairings.
    Reply
  22. Anosa says

    04/07/2019 at 4:39 pm

    I suck at wine pairings but love me a good bottle of Zinfandel especially the white one.
    Reply
  23. Ramona says

    05/07/2019 at 6:55 pm

    What a spread there, I am so drooling over here now. Those wines?! Definitely would love a glass right now with a chunk of cheese. Thanks for the inspo, so delicious and informative post! Thank you
    Reply
  24. Jessica says

    06/07/2019 at 6:22 pm

    Fabulous article! I love Zinfandel. These are some great suggestions I'm taking notes for my big dinner this weekend!
    Reply

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