PR Zin makes me want pancakes

Incredible Red (2006)
Peaachy Canyon Winery
Zinfandel
Paso Robles, California

So even before I get too far into talking about why this wine makes me crave breakfast, let's take a quick look at the grape variety - Zinfandel. This "American" grape came up in a post not long ago, being related to both Primitvio as well as the obscure Croatian variety, Crljenak Kaštelanski. However, this is Zin in my preferred format - and it's not pink! Disturbingly, White Zinfandel, still perpetuates the minds of many Americans, and makes it rather hard to talk about some of the amazing wines the grape produces.

In California, some of the choice locales for Zin include the Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys, and the ubiquitous Lodi AVA. For some reason the latter is the one I think I see most commonly in shops, though after our 2008 California trip, I must profess a die-hard bias for Dry Creek wines. In general, the grapes produce full bodied, juicy, ripe flavored wines. The epitome of new-world fruit forward reds, and a killer pairing with BBQ and dark chocolate alike. Some can reach fairly high alcohol points given their high sugar levels, not to denote them as sweet by any means.



Grape edification out of the way, here are my notes on this particular bottle from Paso Robles.

Appearance: Clear, bright wine with intensely ruby red color. Lighter than most Zinfandel I've looked at and noticeable staining of the tears on the glass. Lots of color!
Nose: Clean nose with medium intensity - a touch of heat/alcohol - and some age. The aromas are characteristically jammy: blackberry, boysenberry, plum. A soft spice note like clove or cinnamon.

Palate: Dry with medium high acidity and alcohol, medium body, and a moderate length. The tannin in astringent, and grippy along the gumline. I'm reminded of my friend Beth's wine snob impersonation: "the tannins boggle my mind." Flavors are similar to the nose - lots of berry, black fruit, and jam. Black cherry, plum, black raspberry and blueberry. Preserves are almost more in line here. A very small note of black pepper behind all the fruit.

So hopefully you can see why I really want to reduce this wine on the stove top and use it to drizzle over pancakes, waffles, crèpes, and ice cream! I know, cooking wine down seems like such a waste - but it occurred to me. It is fruit-tastic, and with some really interesting ones that I would normally associate with types of syrup. Sauce pot aside, I think this would be a great wine to have with grilled or smoked meats, a fresh berry pie, or just a hunk of dark chocolate.

Paso Robles, which is located mid-way between LA and San Francisco, is part of San Luis Obispo County. Grapes have grown here since the late 1700s, but the area wasn't recognized as an AVA until 1983. Originally a large area for Zinfandel, much of it was replaced in the 50s and 60s with French varieties. Commercialization and growth of the wine industry has spurred the development of nearly 170 wineries in the region, the majority of which were opened just in the last 20 years. This area is also well known for being the home of the Rhône Rangers, a group of oenophiles who advocate the use of Rhône varieties such as Syrah, Viognier, Grenache, and Mouvèdre.




Peachy Canyon Winery itself got its start in 1988 by two former school teachers, Doug & Nancy Beckett who relocated to the Paso Robles area. Te Becketts operate the winery with the help of their two sons and other staff members. While there are a number of different varietals offered, they seem to specialize in Zinfandel. You can see their current wines by visiting their website here.

Having enjoyed the Incredible Red, I'm interested to taste some of their others. This bottle itself is a quality find at the $12 price point, and represents the unique style of Paso Robles Zinfandel.

Cheers!