Resident Wine Expert
Lodi For those of you who enjoy juicy, fat,
boldy-flavoured wines, Lodi wines will be perfect! The region’s Mediterranean climate – warm daytime heat, cool breezes at night and diverse soils – means that almost any grape is happy to grow here, from Albarino (I’m on a quest to find a bottle of Lodi Albarino..) to old vine Zinfandel. Plantings here date back to 1888, many of these still on original rootstock! Wines retain higher acidity, tannins are tighter and are very rich with notes of black tea and dusty chocolate. Conversely, the western section of Mokelumne River is dominated by Tokay fine sandy loam soils and even cooler temperatures, leading to good aromatics, character and complexity – nothing too overblown or heavy – in short, an altogether more restrained Zinfandel wine. Look for McCay Cellars Jupiter, Mettler Family Epicentre Old Vine Zin and Klinker Brick (wonderful names!)
Sierra Foothills Divided among four counties – Amador, El
Dorado, Nevada and Calaveras – vineyards and wineries are very spread out and as you might imagine, styles in wine can vary substantially. One common is the soil which is mostly made up of decomposed granite. Boom time here began in the 1970s, when wineries (initially Sutter Home and Ridge) from outside the region began to source grapes from the Sierras. However, in the last decade there has been movement towards making Zinfandels which are more concentrated, structured and elegant. This has arisen from a more calculated approach in winemaking (and in the cellar) with regard to fermentation, management of ageing, judicious use of new barrels and so on. It can be easy to dismiss Sierra Zinfandel which, in my opinion, is a shame. Some from the best vineyards can evolve with elegance (when aged). Often tight and intense when young, they have pronounced cinnamon-tinged spice, creamy textures and notes of liquorice and cedar which make them delicious! Try Newsome-Harlow Big John (still loving these names!), Fiddletown Cellars, Lava Cap, Yorba and Easton Estate.
Mendocino The emergence in recent times of Anderson
Valley as an area of quality for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay has detracted somewhat from Mendocino’s original reputation for producing good Zinfandel, but there is still much to be found – mostly good. The majority of vineyards
are situated along the Upper Russian River and Navarro River and in high elevation sub-regions such as Mendocino Ridge. Italian immigrants planted much of the Zinfandel here, much of which has survived, with thanks to the Italian Swiss colony era. John Parducci was the first local to bottle Zinfandel as a varietal in the 1940s, followed by Charlie Barra, Fetzer and Donald Edmeades in the Anderson Valley, among others. The region’s proximity to the ocean (as with Napa) brings with it a cooling maritime influence, at the same time protected by the coastal mountain range. Mendocino Zinfandel has aromas of ripe cherries and blueberries, toasted oak and roasted coffee on the palate. Wines to find are Wild Thing, Edmeades, Woodhead, Bonterra and Horse & Plough.
So there you have it…more than enough to experiment with and, I hope, this illustrates very clearly that there is much more to these wines than many of us give credit for. I suggest you find a bottle from each region – delegate to friends the task of each buying one bottle – put a simple, robust supper on the table and then proceed to fill your boots! I guarantee you will be surprised and delighted at both the quality in your glass and at the difference geography can make to one grape!
To finish…This edition of Live 24-Seven celebrates eight years since the very first! An incredible achievement when you remember we are just emerging from one of the most difficult recessions in recent times, which just goes to prove my theory that quality will always endure. My huge thanks, appreciation and perhaps most of all, admiration, to Katie and her team for all they do. Hugs and kisses xxx
Sante Win Win Win
For your chance to win a mixed case of wine simply answer the following question:
Q. Which Italian grape is Zinfandel thought to be? Answer and full contact details on a postcard to: Live 24-Seven, PO Box 5258, Coventry, CV4 OGA or email your
answer and full contact details to
info@live24-seven.com Closing date is 30th September 2014, there is no cash or prize alternative, the MD’s decision is final and employees of Live 24-Seven are not permitted to enter.
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