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Zins At My BBQ

Readers
can pull off such a tasting themselves, though the
dimensions of it all can get out of hand. Participants
(mostly consumers, a few trade folks) bought into this event
by pledging a small fee and contributing one or two
bottles.

The tasting took
place in a naturally lit room, with 25 bottles deployed on
three tables. Tasting note sheets and pens or pencils were
laid out in front of each bottle, with columns for time,
comments, rating, initials. As people arrived, their
pre-registered bottles were matched with the sheets.
Unregistered bottles were duly signed in with back-up
sheets. Wines were arranged alphabetically on three
tables.

This year, the
good news was that there were lots of people (over 3O) and
wines (28, with two duplicates). The layout was on three
tables: a central one with 16 bottles and two side tables
with 5 each. Placement was a key factor, as the well-lit
side table by the windows was much visited, and the darker
one by the kitchen much ignored. Repeated on a placard at
the door were the few simple rules that had previously been
emailed to participants: Bring a favorite wine glass, ID it
(marker initials or chain loop) and hold onto it. Taste
every wine you care to, but pour very short (1/2 to 1oz.).
Sniff, swirl, sip, spit. Comment as to color, aroma, flavor,
analogies, finish. Rate from 5 to 1O in half-points; 5 being
poor, fair, decent, good, very good, 1O being
fabulous).

The bad news was
that the commentaries were few and scattered, and orderly
tasting was helter-skelter. Last year there were 2O bottles
and 2O tasters, many of them the same people, but who
evidenced a higher level of comment-writing. Barely half of
the wines had been advance-registered despite online
pleadings by the ‘zinmaster’. At 4 o’clock incoming bottles
were uncorked and hasty headers scribbled on the data
sheets. The comments were desultory, intuitive, often
inarticulate and echoey, even downright illegible. Evidently
many tasters entered no notes at all.

Late arriving
wines endured differing fates. Some were opened with much
buzz and oral recountings of recalled ratings or
half-remembered reputations. Others became wallflowers –
shunted off. As the tasting was not blind, it is likely that
tasters were somewhat influenced by pricetags and labels.
One taster remarked, “This is hardly scientific, but boy, is
it fun!”

Lessons learned:
Educate the tasters by email in advance. Insist on
pre-registering the wines. Explain the rules in a thumbnail
line-up when they arrive. Hope for a sunny day and good
luck.

The menu,
designed and executed by Eric Haggerty of New England
Sauces, included citrus and herb rubbed shrimp skewers,
grilled portabellos with asparagus and tomato over redleaf
and romaine with balsamic vinaigrette, grilled Ratatouille
(eggplant, zucchini, summer squash and plum tomatoes with
herbs and olive oil), yankee oven-baked beans, potato salad
with creole mustard and applewood smoked bacon, cornbread
with smoked mozzarella and grilled peaches, hickory and oak
smoked chicken leg quarters glazed with the chef’s bottled
“sweet, smoky, tangy, and spicy raspberry sauce”, maple and
applewood smoked Saint Louis cut pork ribs glazed with the
chef’s bottled “sweet, smoky, tangy, and spicy cranberry
sauce”, The sides rounding out the menu were Coastal
Carolina Coleslaw (sweet vinegar-based slaw), barbecued
gritcakes (aka southern polenta), watermelon salad, and
mixed berry pies.

KEY
Winery, year, vineyard designation, region, alcohol
content, price. Comments (number): tasting notes,
average rating. J Indicates top
rated.

Alexander
Valley, 2OO3, Sin Zin, Alexander
Valley
,
14.5%, $24. Comments (6): likeable;
smooth; still plummy later on; black (and
now a little green) pepper. Rating
7.45.

Amador
Foothill, 2OO3, Clockspring Vineyard,
Shenandoah Valley
,
15.4%, $16. Comments (6): berry central;
pulled pork combo perfect; flavor/value
ratio high; who are these guys? Rating
7.25.

Bogle
Vineyards, 2OO3, Old Vine Zinfandel,
California 14.5%, $14. Comments (4): lots
of pepper and heat; oak/vanilla heavy; not
very rich; smells cooked. Rating
6.125.

Cline,
2OOO, Big Break Vineyard, Contra Costa
County, 15.O%, $18, Late arrival, few
votes, high scores. Comments (5): wow!;
fab fruit here; “Sweet spicy oak, ripe
peaches and blackberries, cinnamon and
herbes de Provence”. Rating 8.6.
J

Cline,
2OO3, Ancient Vines, California Zinfandel
15.O%, $15, two bottles. Comments (13):
this is my idea of great zin; big nose;
too dry; berry jam session. 24 hours
later: still intense and cleancut if a tad
raisiny. Rating 8.1.

Cline,
2OO2, Zinfandel, California 13.5%, $1O.
Few written comments (4): typical
berry/black cherry; sandalwood/cedar
notes; long sweet vanilla. An overheard
exchange was: “it’s a bargain!” and “it’s
their overproduction of the more expensive
stuff.” Rating 7.8.

Easton,
2OO3, Zinfandel, Amador County, 14.5%,
$15. Comments (5): Meaty; rich; works with
hot spicy ribs; love it. Rating 8.6.
J

Edmeades,
2OO3, Zinfandel, Mendocino County, 15%,
$17. Comments (4) lean, long finish; juicy
baby; love that long syrupy ending! Rating
7.625.

Hayman
& Hill, 2OO3, Zinfandel, Dry Creek
Valley, 14.3%, $16. Comments (6): black
pepper and plums; vibrant; juicy sucker;
savory. Rating 7.5.

KENDALL
Jackson, 2OO2, Zinfandel Vintner’s
Reserve, 14.5%, $14. Jess Jackson explains
glibly on back label how various
provenances contribute: “zesty raspberry
from Mendocino, plum notes from Paso
Robles, and the distinctive Sonoma County
blackberry zing.” This late arrival was
largely ignored by tasters. Comments: very
dry, not much fruit. 24 hours later: arch
distant nose, very dry palate, herbaceous
notes prevalent. Comments: 4. Rating
6.75.

Langhorne
Creek, Kangarilla Road, 2OO3, Zinfandel,
McLaren Vale, Australia 14%. $2O. Only
non-USA entry (faced with a surfeit of
entries, we omitted a Coppi Primitivo).
Comments (8): Smooth; lean and savory;
sweet/tart; this is cooked; tastes like
shiraz to me – not a bad thing! Rating
6.725.

Mazzocco,
2OOO, Zinfandel, Sonoma County, Dry Creek
Valley, 15.O%, $13. Comments (7): leave it
to the Italians!; terrific balance; yum!;
improves with second glass; works for me!
Rating 7.9.

Montevina,
2OO1, Zinfandel, Sierra
Foothills
,
14.1%, $11. Comments (6): a little sweet
and chunky; nice with spicy tomato; too
cloying on palate. Rating 5.66.

Peachy
Canyon, 2OO2, Zinfandel, Paso
Robles-Eastside
,
14.6%, $15. Comments (5): inky purple
black; rich plummy fruit, dollops of
cedary oak, shakings of black pepper;
fairly refined, aired out. Rating
7.3.

Rancho
Zabaco, 1999, Stefani Vineyard, Zinfandel,
Dry Creek Valley, 14.6%, $23. Comments
(6): not my favorite! too dry; old spice;
best with pork ribs; tastes tired. Rating
5.66.

Ravenswood,
2OO2, Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, 14.5%,
$18. Comments (11): you can tell these are
old vines – concentrated fruit; I wanted
more but it’s gone; delicious; jammy and
phat! Rating 7.7.

Renwood,
2OO1, Zinfandel Fiddletown, Amador
County,15%, $2O. Comments (3): flat;
alcoholic. Rating 7.2.

Renwood,
2OO1 Zinfandel Grandmere, Amador County,
14.5%, $35. Latecomer, highly praised
though little noticed. Comments (3): This
is fabulous! A long serious mouthful. Too
expensive for the bang. Rating 8.8.
J

Rockledge
Vineyard, 2OOO, Zinfandel, Napa Valley,
15%, $16. Comments (7): Chewy; chunky;
sweet-toned berry to fore; too hot. Rating
6.9.

Seghesio,
2OO3, Zinfandel, Sonoma County, 14.9%,
$2O. Two bottles; one was cork-stopped,
the other screwtopped. If voting were done
by silent sipping, this wine would have
earned a top score. Both bottles were
drained by the end of show. No one noted
any flavor difference between the cork and
screwtop versions. Comments (5): yum;
classy label, elegant wine; goes down
easy. Rating 7.6.

Selby,
2OO1, Zinfandel, Old Vines, Dry Creek
Valley, 14.3%, $2O. Made from “premium
hillside fruit planted at the turn of the
century (2Oth), aged 16 months in both
French and American oak, this wine has the
classic rich berry fruit, velvety texture,
and lengthy finish for which Zinfandels
are known.” Comments (3): classic berries,
opulent taste. Rating 8.47. J

Steele,
2OO2, Old Vine Zin, Pacini Vineyard,
Mendocino, 13.5%, $18. From participant’s
wine cellar. Comments (8); good; very
good; where can I get this?; better with
fruit pie than meats. Rating
7.4.

St.
Francis Winery, 2OO1, “Old Vines”
Zinfandel, Santa Rosa, 15.2%, $25. Late
arrival, but an instant hit. Only plastic
cork entry. Comments (1O): I get
blueberries; best of show; Lord be
praised!; excellent balance and flavor.
Rating 8.45. J

Vixen,
2OO2, Lot 9, California Zinfandel; bottled
by Remo Cellars, Napa 15%; $16. This wine
– not only a late arrival but the last
alphabetically – was barely noticed by
tasters. There was nearly half a bottle
left over next day, and the two tasters
(not sleepovers, but fresh to the task!)
found it still smooth and easy to like,
despite ambient room heat (75 degrees).
Comments (3): Rich; round; tasty and food
friendly. Not rated.