StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/239299
Top Quality/ Value Zinfandels Based upon wine reviews from StateWays' sister publication Beverage Dynamics, here is a list of some of the top Zinfandels cited by retailers and sommeliers. tateWays' sister publication Beverage Dynamics publishes a list of wine recommendations, called Retailer Wine Selections, in every issue based upon written evaluations by its National Retailer Wine Panel. The parameters of each list range from specific varietals to favorite summer wines or favorite holiday wines. Each review includes brief tasting notes, a rating and the wine's retail price (which varies from store to store and market to market). The following is a sampling of top Zinfandels recently recommended by the Beverage Dynamics National Retailer Wine Panel. S Five Stars ##### (95) Hartford Court Jolene's Vineyard Russian River Valley Zinfandel 2011 (California). A stunning zinfandel from 100+ year-old vines; shows near perfect balance between fruit, tannins and acids. ($60) ##### (95) Outpost Howell Mountain Zinfandel 2011 (California). Full-bodied with loads of ripe fruit; blackberry jam, wild berry and black cherry flavors fill the palate and lead way to a robust, spicy finish, with a hint of crack pepper. ($50) ##### (95) Brown Chaos Theory Napa Red Blend 2009 (California). Blockbuster blending of Cab/Zin (60/40% for this vintage); all estate-grown fruit from the Brown family, who started farming over 30 years ago in Napa; bold, balanced, great concentration of flavors; black peppercorns, wild blackberries, black cherries; richly textured; the finish is long and lingering. ($69) ##### (94) Cline Big Break Zinfandel 2011 (California). Big and bold; the higher alcohol and extremely concentrated flavors offer up layer after layer to explore. ($25) ##### (93) Rombauer Napa Valley Zinfandel 2011 (California). Blackberry and spice aroma; blackberry, spice and peppery flavors; firm tannins, high alcohol, long finish. ($31) ##### (93) Klinker Brink Old Ghost Old Vine Zinfandel 2011 (California). A deep garnet color with rich aromas of brambleberry, exotic spice, botanical garden notes and cedar shavings; yields were a bit lower in 2011, resulting in rich concentration of color and flavor; delicious, dark fruits fill the palate and finish with a long, silky texture. ($45) ##### (93) Peter Franus Napa Valley Zinfandel 2009 (California). Balanced structured and elegant zinfandel from the Brandlin Vineyard; cherry, blackberry, and toasty oak; small production wine. ($35) ##### (93) Sbragia Family Vineyards La Promessa Dry Creek Sonoma Zinfandel 2010 (California). A nose like cherry pie; red and purple fruit aromas are followed by slightly smoky scents that border on French vanilla coffee; a big, fat red that's soft, ripe and fleshy; silky tannins support spicy flavors of blueberry, black raspberry, black cherry and a finish that conveys sub- StateWays I www.stateways.com I January/February 2014 37