One of my favorite wine tasting jaunts was a few years ago, when I visited Healdsburg in Sonoma Country. I drove up from San Francisco with only one real destination in mind, the wine tasting room of Rosenblum Cellars. Historically, I had already poured a considerable amount of Rosenblum’s Zin juice into my liver, it being one of the nicer bottles you can nab at most Trader Joes here in Southern California. That day nothing was jumping out at me in their tasting room, so my friend and I meandered around the small city from tasting room to tasting room until we needed to stop for lunch and a tiny bout of sobriety. It was there at the Healdsburg Bar and Grill that the bartender, just a little jaded to death with drunk people like us, begrudgingly told us to head over to Seghesio. I must have sounded a little wishy washy about continuing on to our 7th tasting of the day, but I remember clearly him saying more sternly, “No, get over there, you’ll regret it if you don’t go.” After a glass or two of their reds, I promptly joined the wine club that day. And I’m glad I did, even though I handed over my credit card that day in a fairly inebriated state.
With my nicer bottles of wine, like the one I’m writing about today, I fret a little about when I’m supposed to open them, even though the wine club newsletter directly tells you. I just lose those things pretty quickly. I think I timed the opening of this Zinfandel just right. It was not overly alcohol-y (I call that DRAGON’S BREATH) despite that heavy duty 15.3% alcohol content. Lots of dark fruit business going on with just little hints of spice here and there. You know how I know it’s a damn good bottle of wine? Because Tony and I will drink it in one sitting, no recorking necessary. We had this puppy with pasta and $1.99 roasted red bell pepper sauce from Whole Foods. Zinfandel and red sauce is a lap dance in your mouth, y’all.
Here’s what king of all noses had to say:
“The Zinfandel Home Ranch exhibits a deep ruby/purple color along with a rich, sweet nose of crushed rocks, briery, berry liqueur, herbs, pepper, and spice box.” Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, 92 points
I don’t remember that crushed rock thing but I love that kind of hoity toity wine tasting phrase.