WBW #60 - I have Zinned... and it felt so good

Old Vine Zinfandel (2006)
Sineann
Zinfandel
Columbia Valley

This month for Wine Blogging Wednesday, the fifth anniversary of the project, we've been "burdened" with the task of drinking Zinfandel. Seeing as this is one of my favorite varieties, I really didn't anticipate any issue. The only problem was choosing what bottle yummy California Zin to choose - then the clouds opened, and it all became clear. Not California... but Oregon Zin!


This bottle from Sineann was introduced to me by a fellow (and certainly more astute) wine lover. At around $55 a bottle, it's definitely not the kind of thing I would buy for everyday consumption. After having it at a wine bar though I knew I would have to get my hands on some. Two bottles found their way home, and this seemed the perfect opportunity. Also, not being a greedy person I did have several friends to help sniff, taste, and drink this orgasmic vino.

Appearance: Blood red, more than ruby but not quite garnet. Slightly hazy rim. Clear, deep in color but not black - I can see text through the wine, but not clearly. Tears are pronounced and stained.

Nose: Clean, developing, medium intensity aromas. Lots of stuff going on here - chocolate, vanilla, black cherry (dark chocolate, black cherry brownies courtesy Trent), strawberry, chocolate covered cherries, plum, dried fruit, dried floral, black fruit preserves, jammy, fruit steeped in brandy, almost like a rich Port. Towards the top of the glass the aromas are much more perfumed and include violet, cinnamon stick, and that graham cracker crust on the Good Humor strawberry cheesecake ice cream bars!

Palate: Dry with medium acidity (that doesn't linger), full bodied, medium plus alcohol (15.6 abv!), soft tannins. Full flavors with jammy fruit, cedar, leather, black cherry, tart on front end, dried cranberry, and strawberry. Extremely fruit forward, luscious, and smooth.

If my elaborate descriptions weren't enough to indicate that this is a quality wine, then you just need to get a bottle and discover it on your own. I'm really enamored with the product Sineann crafts, and this Zin is one of those wines I could sit and simply just enjoy the smell of.

My geekiness over this bottle also isn't helped by the ridiculously nifty closure it uses. Plastic sealed, you then remove a metal cap (that looks kind of like a screw cap), but then underneath there's a glass stopper which can be re-used given a special sealing o-ring. Here's a diagram of the glass closure system.

Grapes are sources from the Columbia Valley AVA which is in large part in Washington state. A small area does cross over into Oregon however. The winery proper sits in Oregon's Willamette Valley. With low crop levels from single vineyards, Sineann's wines are made to be intense. Looking at, smelling, and tasting this wine all confirm this goal is met if not exceeded - and only in the best of ways. I can only look forward to a day that I'll get to try others - check out their website for their full line up (sadly the '06 Zin isn't there anymore).

So long story short - repenting in the morning isn't any fun unless you Zin, Zin, and Zin again.

Cheers!