by Ethan Johnson
January 23, 2008

Hey! I found this zin after lovin' on their Petite Sirah. Let's go a little deeper into their product line:

Producer (Vineyard): Jewel Wines
Varietal (Grape type): Zinfandel
Vintage (Year): 2004
Country: USA (California)
Color: Red
Cost: Inexpensive ($10 USD)

Swirl and Sniff: The color ranges from scarlet to purple. I had a tough time getting any distinct scents off of the first pour.

Taste: Well, it's really smooth and altogether pleasant, but other than a faint sense of "burnt wood" I'm not coming up with much to go on. A jolt of black cherry for a second.

Pairing: I drank this with chili. The pairing went well except for the oyster crackers. If you can get a mouth full of chili minus crackers, then the wine and chili get along fine. I didn't sense the vaunted "third flavor" that comes from a good pairing, but the food and wine not fighting each other for world supremacy helps too.

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 could be fun to have around on the relative cheap, but for a few dollars more there are some fine Ravenswood County Series zins that might be more worth your while. But if you have the opportunity to try a glass, have at it.

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.)