So Here I Go Again

Whitesnake 2008 Russian River Valley Zinfandel ($: Free)

Tuesday night Beth and I traveled to Haddonfield, NJ to meet up with some of Beth's high school friends. Fast forward to the latter part of the evening; there's an empty bottle of Riesling, an empty bottle of Pinot Gris, an empty half-bottle of Sharrott's cranberry wine (yes, made from 100% New Jersey cranberries), and a half empty bottle of DiMatteo's Pasquale Red, a local sweet blend of Concord and Ives (think Welch's with a big kick), all resting on Maria and Jim's beautiful brand new granite countertop.

It was a great night of sweet wine and sweet conversation, often about wine. So, as the evening was winding down and Maria asked, "do you like Zin's?" After the consumption I witnessed, I responded with, "Red?"

Maria then left the room, I'm assuming to some secret wine stash, a cellar perhaps? and returned with a beautifully labeled bottle of Whitesnake Zin, (which, oh, btw, she designed) for us to take home. Free wine? Oh gosh, I couldn't.

Gotta admit, I don't know much about Whitesnake. I floored Beth by admitting I hadn't seen the video to "Here I Go Again," because, 1.) I'm much younger than she, and B.) I grew up believing that inside every cablebox lived the devil.

I guess I had pretty low expectations for the bottle, because I was floored by its quality. Great nose, big initial cherry, peppery pop with a long, smooth finish. Wow, a very tasty wine. It was after all, an 08 Russian River Valley Zin. It should be solid, right? My only issue is that I had it without food, and I think it's a bigger wine that would have gone really well with a steak. My fault.

Hey Bompensa's, next time we visit, how about less of the sweet stuff and more Whitesnake Zin, huh?

Grade: B+ (Projected grade with said steak: A-)
Beth's Grade: B

Just What My Doctor Ordered

"Phantom" Bogle Vineyards 2008 Blend ($14.99)


Full disclosure: I was put on an antibiotic today for a sinus infection and have sucked on 20+ Halls since 7 AM, so my palate might not be up to whatever standards it usually is. I did make sure to ask my doctor if drinking wine on said antibiotic was permitted and she gave me the green light. So I got that going for me. Which is nice.

Jared sent me a text awhile back saying he and his lovely wife liked this wine, so I searched amongst the other Bogle bottles at Hi-Times, then asked for help and was led to the cellar with the fancy bottles.

See, I view Bogle as being somewhere in the Mondavi/BV category. Maybe? They seem to make a lot of wines in the $8-15 range that are readily available at every drugstore right next to the Carlo Rossi jugs and Frenzia boxes. So, sort of for the same reasons I've never ordered a $6 Burger from Carl's Jr., I don't typically pick up or have much interest in Mondavi/BV/Bogle's pricier labels. I leave the fancier things to people who make fancy things. Maybe I'm missing out. Is the $6 Burger any good?

I read the Wine Spectator cover article on Tim Mondavi and they referred to the "cash cow" labels that the Robert Mondavi Corp. (and many of the big wineries)  produce in mass to meet the demands of Wall Street and being a publicly traded company. Tim talks about how these labels eroded their image and I have to agree. The association I have with the bigger wine makers would have never led me to picking up a bottle of the Phantom.

Perhaps I need to change my stance on these labels. Beth and I really liked the Phantom. It's a blend of Zin, Petite Sirah, and Mourvedre. Pre dinner I thought the Petite Sirah stood out and was a little tart, but after letting it open up for awhile and pairing it with some tasty filets, it was really good. It was a nice change of pace. Big, full bodied, zippy, yet different. Nice suggestion, thanks.

I've reserving a grade until I can breathe through my nose.

I'm A Wiener!

Wiens 2009 Zinfandel ($19.99)

This was the only bottle of wine I brought back from Temecula. As I mentioned in the Pitt Wedding Recap, this was the 2nd stop of the day for me and Beth. We both really liked the atmosphere and vibe at Wiens, which I thought may have influenced my decision to buy a bottle. The 09 Zin was the first of the 8 or so wines we tried there. I liked it, thought it was a little light for a Zin, but figured it would be enjoyable. I also liked that at $20, it was the cheapest bottle of red on the tasting menu. Bonus. 

We cracked this Saturday night with some pizza while babysitting Mr. James Jansen. We didn't need wine to get through the night, the kids were great, but this sure didn't make the evening worse. 

We were both surprised at how much flavor the wine had. There was nothing light or delicate about it. It had a really nice, flavorful, raspberryish pop and a long spicy, yet smooth finish. I thought it was very similar to the Old Vine Sobon Zin that I've had a few times lately. I must say, it exceeded my expectations.  

Grade: B+ / 3

Beth's Grade: B+

Friend of the Family

Sobon Estate 2009 Hillside Zinfandel ($9.99)
Sobon Estate 2008 Fiddletown Zinfandel ($19.99)
     Wine Spectator  92 points


Fresh off my Total Wine class (more on that later), I decided to put my family through a tasting of two Zins, both from Sobon Estates. I've already reviewed the Sobon Estate's Old Vine (I gave it an A-, and is a Purpletooth Trimester 1 Award frontrunner), so I decided to set out and see if the Sobon's really know what they're doing. Turns out, they do.

I cracked the Hillside first. Everyone was happy with it. It had a sweet  yet slightly dry finish to me. I found it to be very raisiney. To my surprise, this was the rest of the crowd's favorite. I liked it, but I think I liked the Old Vine quite a bit more. The Old Vine had a little more pizzaz and was smoother. Both are a steal for under $12.

The Fiddletown to me, had a lot more going on. This was a Big Boy Zin. I found it to be much bigger, more complex, almost chewy compared to the Hillside. I tasted a lot of fruit, but also tobacco, peppery flavors with a really long finish. I grilled some filets from El Toro, and I found the match to be heavenly . Beth thought it was "too raisiney," while Joe found it to be "too scratchy." I loved it.

In conclusion, the Hillside was Jennifer Anniston (very likable, yet nobody's favorite) and the Fiddletown was Angelina Jolie (crazy, exotic)

Bottom line, Sobon Estates makes some good wine.

Hillside Zin Grade: B- / 2.8       Beth's Grade: B-
Fiddletown Grade: B+ / 3     Beth's Grade: C

Weekend Roundup

As you can see, we kept the recycling man in business this weekend. From Joe needing a wine for his "meatballs and sawce" Saturday night, to Keira's baptism Sunday, and washing down tonight's grilled chicken dinner, we've been crushing some grapes.

I hit up Hi-Times Saturday morning, and had a little help from the lady who had steered me towards Purple Tooth Summer School award winner, Papa Luna. She went 2/3 with a check-swing foul ball of my own. 

Here's the breakdown, and a reminder of my new numbered grading scale:

1- Dump it. Regardless of price.
2- Just alright. Maybe save it for tomorrow but have no intentions of polishing off the bottle.
3- Pretty good. Pour it out evenly and enjoy.
4- Great. Hope you get more than your fair share, especially if drinking with someone who may not appreciate it.

Blah:

Il Bastardo 2010 Sangiovese ($7.98)

-The Il Bastardo was pretty bad. As Joe said, "Jason...it didn't get any better from the time you tried it." Good wines shouldn't get worse after they open up. It did last 3 days and we gave it 3 attempts hoping to fall in love with it, but no dice. Joe had the quote of the night last night when I broke my glass, spilling the remains of the bottle, "well, finally, the end of the Bastardo." 

Grade: D / 1.5

Yum:

Mohua 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($9.98)

-The Mohua was the Hi-Times #12 rated "Down Under" wine. I really liked it and it seemed everyone else did too. Everything I enjoy about Sauv Blanc. Just sweet enough. Smooth. Really good.

Grade: A- / 3.5

Joe's Grade: A

What the...?

Tres Picos 2009 Garnacha ($13.99)

-Tres Picos was a wine I loved a few weeks back. I was disappointed this time around. It had a great nose, but lacked the flavorful punch I remembered and finished a bit dry. Could be that it didn't fit with the Sunday afternoon setting? Either way, not nearly as impressed.

Grade: C+ /  3

Eh, yeah, I guess:

Ridge 2007 Lytton Springs 71% Zin / 22% Petite Sirah / 7% Carignane ($41.99)

-We had Ridge Lytton Springs side-by-side with the Tres Picos, which is a strange midday matchup, but nobody was complaining. I thought it had nice flavor. My only gripe with it was the finish. Too dry for my palate. Pretty sure that's from the 22% Petite Sirah. Quality wine, just not my favorite style.

Grade: B- / 3

Yeah, yum:

14 Hands 2008 Hot to Trot Red Blend ($8.98)

-Tonight, Hot to Trot pranced onto the patio for dinner (buh-dum-CH!) I was really close to putting this bottle back on the shelf due to a somewhat cheesy label and very cheesy name. It was really good in a Folie a Deux, safe play sort of way. I think it would be hard to not like this. Very easy drinker.

Grade: B- / 3

Beth's Grade: B

Joe's Grade: B

Wut U Had

Thanks for the audience participation last night. America has voted:

Jared's Pick: Sequana 2008 Pinot Noir ($36, on sale for $16.99)


Grade: A

Tom's Pick: Frog's Leap 2008 Zinfandel ($17.99)
Wine Enthusiast Rating: 91 Points


"The Carlsbad Jansens paired their gourmet Dominoes 2 mediums for $5.55 feast with a 2008 Frog's Leap Zin from Napa Valley $19.99, 91 pts WE). This wine impressed from the start and we were glad we made the "leap." It was everything a zin should be, a nice fruit forward approach with a spicy finish. This wine had a decent amount of petite syrah in it which gave it some nice tannins and a bit of a drier finish. Very robust though, I'm convinced this wine could have held its own with any meal (steak, pizza, bbq). I really am back on the zin train, for a variety of reasons. One Zin might be medium-bodied and very fruity, some are rich and full-bodied, others are a bit sweet (my least favorite), and some are even rustic and tannic. You are 

almost always assured of a wine that will be full of zesty spices, like pepper, cedar, bold red fruits. Ok, I'll get off my soapbox and let the professional do the bloggin:)


I have to commend Mr. Purpletooth himself on a great site. In a world gone mad, it's nice to see good people talking about good wine, especially with the prose and palate of one Jason Eldridge. Keep up the good work J, you're the next Robert Parker!"

Gracias!

Grade: Not Given

Beth's Pick: Mallee Point 2009 Shiraz ($4.99)


"Surprisingly de-lish! Smooth, kind of fruity and just GOOD."

I actually got paid to get this bottle. I had Total Wine's usual, get $5 off every $50 coupon. My bill on one trip was $48 at check out. So, they have these bottles at the check stand, like gum at a grocery store, and by spending $2, they took $3 off my bill. The checker said it is his favorite wine under $5 in the store.

I had a glass at midnight to celebrate a Sea King victory. Nice flavor. A tad dry, but I didn't have it with food. A bag of sunflower seeds probably didn't do my palate any favors, though.


Beth's Grade: B+ / My Grade: B-

Your Moment of Zin.

Under the influence of  loyal readers, Jared expressing his love for Folie a Deux, and Tom claiming he was "going back to Zins" (and Pinots), I ended up with 4 bottles of Zinfandel in my little wine fridge. Such problems. I managed to get through them all the past 2 weeks for your enjoyment.


Zin #1:

Folie a Deux 2008 Zinfandel ($13.99)

This was the first of the four that I tried. As I wrote earlier, I agree with the Total Wine guy who called it "Safe." This seems like the type of wine you could find at a restaurant and order by the glass for $8 and be happy. There's nothing not to like, but there's also a little lacking in the creativity department. Maybe I was influenced by its popularity and the Total Wine guy's comment. I'd like to revisit this.

Grade: B / Beth's Grade: B+


Zin #2:

Sobon Estate 2009 Old Vine Zinfandel ($11.99)


Zin #2 would've had Randy Jackson yelping about "A hot one tonight, America!" This was awesome.  From the first sip, BAM, blasted with a balanced barrage of berry: raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, boysenberry  (ok, I don't know what boysenberries taste like), and no, I'm not confusing this bottle with my Jamba Juice go-to, "Banana Berry."

I almost destroyed this wine by pairing it with pulled pork that I had drenched in sweet & spicy BBQ sauce. Horrible pairing. But before dinner, then after dinner, and into the evening, it was "lights out."

So much fruit up front and so smooth on the finish. For $12? Highway robbery.

Grade: A- / Beth's Grade: A


Zin #3:

Courtney Benham, 2008, Zinfandel ($11.99)


Thankfully for Benham's sake, we didn't drink much of her wine Saturday night after a couple of  cocktails at Brooke Becker's 5th birthday party. Maybe it was the beer or perhaps vodka lemonades that left me unimpressed as I used this as a chaser for a Trader Joe's frozen pizza.

I gave it a second run tonight (Monday) at dinner, and it was much better. We had cheese ravioli with baked cauliflower, sage, and olive oil. A very mild dinner, and it went well with it. As Beth put it, a lot of "peppery cherry." It was a little more bold and slightly less smooth than the other 3 Zins, but still worth the price.

Grade: B- / Beth's Grade: B



Zin #4:

Montoya 2009 Old Vine Zinfandel ($9.99)


I cracked this tonight as well for a side-by-side comparison to the Courtney Benham. This was really good.  I thought it was a more cherry than berry, but every bit as smooth as the Sobon. For under $10, this was very impressive.


Grade: B+ / Beth: A-


To recap, we (ok, I) went 4 for 4, and I, too am going back to Zins. Chianti may be dead to me.
The rankings:
1. Sobon
2. Montoya
3. Folie a Deux
4. Courtney Benham

The Safety Dance

Folie a Deux 2008 Zinfandel ($13.99)


My buddy Jarred (the guy who called a few days ago from the grocery store sending me into Thursday's tizzy) has been saying for a while that Menage A Trois is his cheap go-to bottle. Then Thursday night I get a text from him saying that this bottle, Folie a Deux, from the same winemaker, is making a push for he and his wife's favorite wine. I'm interested, but skeptical. I have snobby, grocery store thoughts racing through my head.

Friday I stopped by Total Wine on my way home from work.  Two days ago at Stater Brother's I was looking for 1 bottle to stand out. Now, I'm on the Zin aisle with over 100 bottles calling my name. I'm feeling good. I found the Folie a Deux just as a staff member walks up to see if I need help. I asked for his 2 cents and he said, "We sell a lot of it," then added, "it's a safe pick." Not sure what to make of "safe."

A few hours later, we opened the bottle. Nothing like fresh wine with dinner!

Even before reading the back label, I noted cherry on the nose. The first sip did not impress. It burned going down (like Tamarack) and stung my nose a little bit. I'm not sure what that was all about though because it only happened on that initial sip. Maybe something I had eaten earlier? Anyway, after that sip, I found it to be really pleasant. Very nice fruit flavor. Not quite as much of peppery pop as I'd prefer in a Zin, but it was very kind, with a super smooth finish.

Thinking back on the Total Wine guy's "safe" comment, I think I get it and agree. It would be hard not to like this bottle.


Grade: B / Beth's Grade: B+

Mueller? Mueller!

Mueller 2007 Zinfandel - Old Vine ($23.99)
Wine Spectator: 92 Points, Wine & Spirits: 93 points


Iv'e been off the Zin kick for quite some time. I think the reason for my Zin hiatus is that I was, both literally and figuratively, getting burned by $8 bottles. For me, bad zin burns going down and overpowers the food I'd pair it with. I don't think it's a good value varietal. Like Pinot, you gotta spend a little to get the good stuff.

So, I dipped my toe in the water last week at Total Wine and picked up a bottle. I wasn't looking to dispute my theory; I wanted to get a good one. I saw this for $24 with high numbers, (my eyes are so drawn to rating tags it's disturbing) figured I had the $5 off coupon going for me, plus a strong recommendation from Tom who had put a bottle in his cart, so I went for it.

I'd like to thank winemaker, Robert Mueller for his unintentional compliment. On the back of the bottle he writes, "Over the years professional wine writers have described our wines as supple, polished, rich and complex." That's EXACTLY what I was gonna say! This was a nice wine.

We had it with chicken breasts stuffed with bread and herb from El Toro Meats. The food didn't really do the wine any favors. The boobs were just ok. So if you're keeping score of stuffed items from El Toro at home, that's 1 great (crab stuffed mushrooms) and 2 don't bothers (chicken breast, and twice baked potatoes). Back the the wine: It had a great earthy, smokey, tobaccoey, coffee nose. Super flavorful from the first sip, dark cherry, plum, maybe cinnamon?, then finished really smoothly. Damn, I really wish I had picked up steaks instead.

Grade: A-

Gone, But Not Forgotten.

While looking through my wine pic folder in an effort to tidy things up a bit, I came across 2 bottles that I didn't write about. I think it's a bit unfair to grade anything a few weeks after assessing, but I'll still pass along my mind.

Morgon 2009 Beaujolias ($16.99)


I'm pretty sure I didn't site that correctly, but a while back a Total Wine rep showed me the way to the wall of Beaujolias when I told him Ahi was on our menu. This also happened to be a night with the Jansen's and 4 or 5 bottles were opened, so it's easy to see why I forgot to write about the bottle, right? 


I'll be back to the Beaujolias section. Most of the bottles were in the $12-$20 range and a lot, I mean an unusually high number, had ratings from the big wigs of 89 and up. I can't give too many specifics on this particular bottle, but it was good enough for me to further investigate the grape. 

Shenandoah Vinyards 2009 Zinfandel ($9.99)


I have no good excuse for why I didn't write about this one. While cruising down the Zin aisle of Total Wine, this bottle, with a 91 point rating tag (need to start paying attention to who's doing the rating), and a $9.99 price tag caught my eye. 


We opened this the night I first made pulled pork in the crock pot, which turned out really well. The wine was nice. Very smooth. Soft almost. Beth thought it was "grapey." To which I shot her a "No Shit?" look. She then clarified, "Like, grape jelly, or juice" Ah, got it. 


It was good. Not tons of Earthy, peppery flavors that you get in many big Zins, but for $10, well worth it.