Not Your Mamma’s Zin
Madrigal Vineyards, 2003 Zinfandel, Napa Valley
There’s a reason California producers use the Zinfandel grape to make blush wines, although I’m not sure there’s a good reason to drink it. The fruit forward grape has a high propensity towards sugar, making it ideal for producing the slightly sweet, pink wine enjoyed by so many Americans. But there is an added benefit to all that sugar and fruit: big jammy reds that are well balanced even with their high alcohol…
During fermentation, yeast eats sugar and creates alcohol as a byproduct, so juice with higher sugar can be used to produce higher alcohol in wine. Zinfandel is frequently thought of as having about the highest alcohol content of most wines, frequently over 14% and sometimes as high as 16%+. Madrigal’s 2003 Zin was relatively modest at 13.9%, though I could still pick up alcohol pretty strongly on the nose until the wine had some time to open up.
The wine is a combination of red and black berry on the nose, with a slight hint of white pepper. Lush in the mouth, the palate is of spiced cherries with gentle acidity on the finish. The wine is medium to full bodied, not to spicy like some overly peppery Zins, but never dull or excessively earthy either. 50% new oak imparts some mild smoky character and tannin; just enough to compliment the fruit forward nature of this wine. Rich and silky smooth, this wine is drinking well now and will remain delicious and well balanced through 2010.
This wine is nearly 100% Zinfandel, sourced from Mancini Vineyard and Madrigal Estate in Calistoga, with less than 10% being Petite Sirah and Cabernet. Pairing Zin is easy, as is goes well with any hearty meal. Try it with smoky dishes, especially those with spicy-sweet seasoning. Game like venison and boar go well, along with sharp cheeses. I sipped a glass with a nice, slow burning, robusto cigar.
My experience with Madrigal’s wines has been that they are generally very good values, even with prices reaching upwards of $50. You should be able to find this bottle for under $30, so pick one up and discover what Zinfandel was truly intended for.
