by Ethan Johnson
September 28, 2006
I must offer the following review with my stock disclaimer that I normally don't drink red wines, but I'm bucking up and trying them out here and there to gain a fuller understanding and appreciation of wine. I do like some reds, and hope to discover more favorites. I heard good things about Ravenswood from multiple sources, so after my previous disappointment with red zin I opted to give it another go. Here's what graced my glass:
Producer (Vineyard): Ravenswood
Varietal (Grape type): 76% Zinfandel, 9% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 7% mixed blacks
Vintage (Year): 2004
Country: USA (California)
Color: Red
Cost: Inexpensive ($10 USD)
Swirl and Sniff: Purply red. I got a deep berry scent (bottle says raspberries), and after some swirling action, a faint whiff of vanilla.
Taste: Hmmm. The first taste was sma-ooth, then things started to bottom out when food came into play. Tasted alone, the deep berry taste was memorable, as was the cottony taste of oaky wine. No vinegar-y tastes or any deal-breakers like that, which is good.
Pairing: I paired this with my kick-ass red wine burgers, and you guessed it, I used this wine to make the burgers. The wine seemed OK with the burgers themselves, but had an irreconcilable blood feud with the accompanying onion rings, hamburger buns, and embedded sauteed onions in the burgers themselves. Good thing I didn't use onion rolls as originally planned.
Rating: When it comes to this wine, I would (and you may):
- Buy three or more bottles for regular enjoyment
- Buy a bottle or two for occasional enjoyment
- Ask for when dining out or at a party
- Settle for if your preferred wine is not available
- Politely decline and never drink again, ever
This isn't a bad wine, as such, coming from a predominantly white wine drinker. It helped seal the deal with my ass-kicking burgers, but the pairing issues with bread and/or onions is giving me cause for pause. I'd probably try it again when ordering out or if someone offered me a glass.
Note: I am adjusting the rating scale going forward to make the highest ranking "would buy three or more bottles" since buying a case of everything may not be realistic.
If you do give this a try, please let me know how your experience compared with mine. Thanks! <EM>
(The Totally Unpretentious Wine Reviews Index may be found here.)
... I feel the need to come to its defense and ask, exactly what wine do you think complements onion rings? It seems unfair to malign a wine for not pairing well with onion rings. They're onion rings. They're not meant to be consumed with wine. Onion rings keep company with beer or Coke, not red zinfandel.