Drinking Zinfandel is a rare thing for me. It used to be one of my favorite wines, but that was fifteen years ago when alcohol levels were around 13.5%. Once they routinely exceeded 14%, then 15% I stopped drinking them because they were more port-like and simply overpowered anything one wanted to eat with them. My only use for some of the near 16% versions is as a topping for shaved ice - the ultimate snow cone. That diluted the wine and the sweet and prickly flavors came back.
There are exceptions and one is pictured above, a 2007 Dry Creek Vineyards Sonoma County " Heritage" Zinfandel. What makes sit a heritage Zinfandel? According to the label they took budwood off some of their century-old vines and grafted it onto new rootstock. Whatever it was worked.
Bright but deep color and nose of brambles and earth. Great, ripe fruit flavors of blackberries and other dark fruits, nice mouth feel and good integration of some wood tastes and aromas. Sharp acid in this wine. This is not a shy wine, but it's balanced and almost refreshing, two things most Zinfandels aren't.
There was a strip steak from the grill, a few mushrooms and a baked potato. Great combination and a wonderful meal.
$21 and 13.5% alcohol.
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