Thursday, January 12, 2012

2009 Epoch Estate Wines Zinfandel ‘Paderewski Vineyard’ Paso Robles

Source: La Costa


Consumption Date: 1/11/2012

Notes: Elegant aroma of blackberry fruit and chocolate with a hint of dry leaves.  Very fine body with rich, ripe fruit, more chocolate, and hints of tar and dry leaves.  Moderate finish of more fruit, chocolate, and a bit more tar.  Mild to moderate tannin.

This wine has been a bit of a surprise.  I chose it while on vacation, at the recommendation of the clerk in a wine store in Carlsbad, California, with some reservations (as it was the most expensive Zinfandel in the store), but in the interest of trying a California Zin I was unlikely to find on the East Coast.  Luckily, it has turned out to be a very well made and enjoyable wine.  It is surprisingly elegant, with a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel, while containing many of the Zinfandel flavors I enjoy.  As with the most recent Zin I consumed, it has distinctive chocolate notes, but with little briary undergrowth flavors.  I am wondering if this is a consequence of consuming this wine a temperature that is a significantly higher (at ~72°F) than that at which I normally drink Zinfandel.  The only knock I have on this wine is that it lacks somewhat in complexity.  Average to decent value.

No comments:

Post a Comment