2005 Howell Mountain Zinfandel Beatty Ranch

This wine has a lovely dark garnet color with well-defined legs once swirled.  On the nose I get lively aromas of black raspberry and white pepper and a tickling in the nose from the alcohol (15.6%).  Initially, I was getting hints of brettanomyces, but that seems to have blown off.  In the mouth one gets a nice fresh flavor of dark fruits, spice (pepper, primarily), and bright acid backed with a nice tannic structure.  The good balance of fruit, spice and acid lingers on the finish.  I've tasted this wine on three occasions with very consistent results.  This was a $15 bargain at Trader Joe's (retailed for $45).  The 2006 Beatty Ranch Zin is not of the same caliber.

2006 Ridge Zinfandel Dusi Ranch

This perennial favorite zin has a nice dark cherry color.  Although it's a little cold having just been brought up from the storage area beneath my house the nose gives off blackberries, cherries and a complex spice blend of white pepper, nutmeg and cloves.  Oh yes, and you can smell the alcohol, but the aromatic nature of the wine makes the alcohol not as pronounced as it could be at 15.8%!  Surprisingly devoid of tannins, the taste of this wine is dominated by cherry and dark berry fruit and much less spice than I expected from the aromas.  On the finish, the alcohol creates a burning effect on the tongue, but there is also fruit that lingers.  I would have expected to detect more acid than I'm getting, but I think the alcohol is masking that. This is not as sweet as some of Ridge's late picked wines, which have significant residual sugar and alcohol.  The grapes come from the Paso Robles area and were picked at a high sugar content which fermented efficiently providing a high alcohol, low RS wine.  I like it, but with I were drinking it with lamb instead of pizza.s

2006 Ridge Carmichael Zinfandel

Well, it happens, reportedly, about 5% of the time.  This wine is slightly corked, the musty aroma immediately detectable.  Ridge would certainly take it back, but I don't have time to mess with it.  I tried to get past that to see what a non-tainted bottle might offer.  The grapes come from Carmichael Ranch on the North Coast.  This medium-bodied wine has a pretty ruby color with nice gradation.  There is plenty of fruit on the nose, mostly blackberries, and a slight amount of spice.  In the mouth, there is a nice acid/fruit balance, but I can't get past the corkiness.  The rest goes down the drain.  Too bad, because I'm a big fan of the winery and of its winemaker, Paul Draper.

Update:  I contacted Ridge through their website and within three days they had delivered a new bottle at no charge.

2005 Ridge Zinfandel Oltranti

Paul Draper of Ridge Vineyards is one of my favorite winemakers and a really nice guy.  The Oltranti, like many of Ridge's recent zinfandels, has an intense aroma of fruit and ample alcohol (15.1%).  Dark cherry, black raspberry and floral notes fill the nose and, thankfully, help mask the alcohol.  In the mouth, there is a lot of fruit which lasts all the way through the long finish, but also an almost burning sensation from the alcohol.   There's a nice acid that helps the balance.  This is almost all zinfandel with a bit of carignane and petite sirah blended in.  I had this with lasagna and a caesar salad and it stood up nicely to those bold flavors, but I could also imagine drinking this in front of a fire on a cold and rainy night with a selection of medium to strong flavored cheeses.  I wouldn't give this more than a couple more years of aging time.  While the acid and fruit will become more integrated, I believe the alcohol will become too dominant when the fruit begins to fade.  Still, it's lovely now; but share it with friends or find a designated driver if you're away from home.

2005 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel

From one of the venerable zinfandel makers in Sonoma County, this 2005 from Dry Creek Valley is an opaque purple-black with dark, sweet cherries, black licorice, vanilla and toast, and alcohol on the nose. After decanting for a couple hours the wine is highly aromatic - just get your nose close to the glass and the aromas come wafting toward you. There is a sweetness on the attack, followed by black currant, raspberry and tar. The long finish is dominated by fruit and acid. This is a somewhat rustic zinfandel; chewy, with tannins that are developing nicely. This will easily go another three to five years, but it's enjoyable now.

2003 Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel

Stepping out of the Rhone Valley for a bit, I thought I'd try a wine I've had several times to see how it's developing. This '03 Zin from Cline sold for $10 at Costco several years ago. Always, in my opinion, superior to the '04, the wine is holding up well and developing nicely. Having a translucent purple-black color, still with a clear rim, this hearty zinfandel has plenty of fruit on the nose and in the mouth.  Along with the bright acid which helps the wine to remain fresh and vibrant, plum and sweet cherries  run all the way from the attack through the lengthy finish. This California designate zinfandel does not have the spicy character that I enjoy and which is typical of many Dry Creek Valley zins, but for an "everyday" wine, this does quite nicely. The alcohol is given at 15%, which is high, but certainly not atypical of this varietal which has crept up in alcohol content over the last several years. I'm glad I have a couple bottles left, because I'm really enjoying this right out of the bottle.