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Wine Details
Price:
$22.00 per bottle
Description:
Once again, Madroña’s Reserve Zinfandel proves that not all foothill Zins are overripe, raisiny, sweet wines. Instead, the emphasis on balance and varietal purity is the hallmark of the 2002 vintage.
Complex spicy aromas fill the glass of this multi-dimensional wine with classic black pepper taking center stage. Hints of incense cedar, raw clove and dense cigar smoke loiter nearby as deep boysenberry and pomegranate fruit encompass the nose.
The palate is supple and inviting with a wonderful fresh-strawberry-jam character that only builds with each taste. Ripe Bing cherry fills in the edges, balancing an ever-enticing black pepper/white pepper montage. An incredibly even palate with just a slight note of toasty oak on the finish makes this Zinfandel a full-bodied delight to enjoy with hearty dishes and grilled meats alike.
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Varietal Definition
Zinfandel:
Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in over 10 percent of California wine vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in the 'heel' of Italy. It is typically made into a robust red wine. Its taste depends on the ripeness of the grapes from which it is made. Red berry fruits like raspberry predominate in wines from cooler areas such as the Napa Valley, whereas blackberry, anise and pepper notes are more common in wines made in warmer areas such as Sonoma County. Many Zinfandels come from head pruned ‘Old Vines’. ‘Old Vine’ is generally understood to mean a vine that is more than 50 years old and that produces less than three tons per acre. ‘Head Pruning’ is an old European style of pruning that trains the vine into the shape of a goblet. It requires no wires or other complex trellis systems. Head pruning spreads the fruit uniformly along the vine and allows light penetration.In the USA a semi-sweet Rosé (blush-style) wine called ‘White Zinfandel’ has achieved widespread popularity. In fact, this popularity has so outstripped all other forms that many fans think there is actually a grape called “White Zinfandel” (there isn’t)!
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