Before Your Thoughts Turn to Turkey...

It's easy in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving to lose sight of everything but turkey and what to have with it. After Thanksgiving? I don't know about you, but the weeks between late November and early January are always a complete blur with too much going on.

So I'll be suggesting some wines in the next few weeks that you might want to get in the house before the Holiday Zanies hit. My time-saving hint is to buy three bottles of them if you think you will like the way they taste and know that you and your family will be eating lots of the food that I suggest as perfect pairings for the bottle in question. That way, you will have one less thing to worry about.

My pick for this week is perfect if:

• you like chili, like this easy chicken chili that makes enough for your average-sized army
• you pick up burgers on the way home
• you have plans to make a big pot of minestrone soup with your slow-cooker
• your idea of a big family meal is roast beef
• Friday night comfort food involves macaroni and cheese

If any of these describe you, try to get your hands on some 2007 Guglielmo Family Winery Petite Sirah Private Reserve. (suggested retail, $19) This is, hands down, one of the nicest examples of this hearty grape I've had in some time. It is rich, warm, and perfect for winter meals. Delicious aromas of mocha, blackberry, and plum blossom provide a hint of the range of flavors to come: more mocha, tobacco, plum, and some smoky cigarbox notes. This smooth, mouth-coating wine is a bit lighter on its feet than many domestic examples, and slightly lower in alcohol, too, which is welcome news to me. The result is a food-friendly Petite Sirah that doesn't leave you feeling like you've had an unfortunate encounter with a hammer the next morning. Excellent QPR.

Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for review.

The Zaftig Wine with the Petite Name: Petite Sirah

As I've said before, there is nothing "petite" about Petite Sirah. This is a grape that produces big, blowsy wines with intense fruit flavors and a lushness that stands up to almost anything you throw at it--grilled steaks, hamburgers, chili, stew, and summer's favorite BBQ.

Finding a Petite Sirah for under $20 that doesn't tend towards the cough syrup side of the spectrum, however, can be a bit of a challenge. Lush is good, but syrupy is not.

If you like big, bold reds give one of these beauties a try.

2007 Concannon Vineyard Petite Sirah Conservancy Livermore Valley (suggested retail $15; available from $13) This is a dark and brooding Petite Sirah with plum and black cherry notes in the aromas. Your first sips will confirm that impression, but in the aftertaste the flavors linger and turn darker with a tarry edge that keeps the wine interesting. Very good QPR.

2008 Dancing Coyote Petite Sirah ($10.99) This steal from Clarksburg has terrific varietal characteristics and is a bit lighter on its feet than many Petite Sirah. I loved the black cherry, mocha, and roast coffee aromas and flavors and the balance between fruit and acidity in the wine. The aftertaste was nicely spicy, as well. Excellent QPR.

Full Disclosure: I received these wines as samples.

Does the Job Perfectly: A Huckleberry of a Petite Sirah

"I will pay you for whatever you do for me."

"Then I'm your huckleberry. Who are you and what do you want to know?"

Edward Stratemeyer, True to Himself (1900)

I always wondered where the phrase "I'm your huckleberry" came from. I started wondering again when I drank my first glass of the oh-so-huckleberry 2008 The Crusher Petite Sirah, made by Don Sebastiani & Sons ($12.99, suggested retail; available in market for $12-$16)

Turns out, in early 20th-century slang, a "huckleberry" was the perfect person for a given job. If you're looking for a wine that delivers great fruit, nice acidity, and excellent complexity at an affordable price, then this wine will do the job perfectly--with excellent QPR.

The wine had a deep, rich purple color with enticing aromas of sweet huckleberry pie, herbs, and eucalyptus. Flavors of deep, smoky huckleberry and blackberry, with high notes of blueberry, make this wine juicy and fruit forward without being cloying or jammy. The spices on the finish reminded me of allspice, and the relatively low alcohol for Petite Sirah (13.5%) made this a wine that you could drink throughout dinner without regretting it the next day. All in all, a stunningly good example of the variety, especially for the price.

Pair this wine with anything you'd have with Syrah--like macaroni and cheese, pulled pork, barbecued chicken, or ribs--and drink it over the next year or so to enjoy its fresh, fruity flavors.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

Your Very Own Barrel of Wine

A few months back in my weekly column Serious Grape, I was lamenting the fact that nobody was exploring the use of barrels as a way to reduce wine's carbon footprint. Lots of explanations were given as to why we don't go back to the barrels--from storage space to licensing laws. None of them struck me as insurmountable.

Happily, the folks at Red Truck Wines have decided to see just how far they can push alternative packing forward--by going back to barrels. This makes huge sense to me. And hopefully it will to you, too.

For just $29.99 (suggested retail), you will soon be able to get your very own barrel of 2007 Red Truck Red Wine, a blend of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. I haven't had the 2007 (yet) but previous vintages have struck me as the perfect, easy-going, fruit-forward house red. The mini-barrel, as they call it, holds the equivalent of four 750ml bottles of wine. I'm not a math whiz, but I think that works out to $7.50 a bottle. There is a tap on the side that keeps air out of the wine and the barrel is equipped with a special gizmo that means you don't have to tilt the barrel to get the last of the wine out of it. And it even has little feet, so it will sit on your cool, dark counter without rolling around. How long will the wine stay fresh? The winery says 40 days--a claim I'm eager to put to the test (although I doubt the wine will last that long).

The mini-barrels will debut this month in Sam's Club stores, and be available through other retailers within the year.

Who's headed straight to Sam's Club with me?

My Gold Standard in Zinfandel

If you drink a lot of wine, you probably have a few that serve as your "benchmark bottles." These are the wines that set the standard against which you judge similar wines from other producers, other vintages, or even use to compare grape varieties across the globe.

When it comes to Zinfandel, my benchmark bottling--the one that sets the gold standard for me--has been Dry Creek Vineyard's Heritage Zinfandel (suggested retail $17; available for $12-$20). Year in and year out the folks at Dry Creek Vineyard produce a wine that is balanced between fruit and spice. Even better, they don't overdo the alcohol and as a result I can have more than one glass if I want to without regretting it the next morning. If you want to know more about Dry Creek Vineyard and the people behind the wine, check out their blog, Wilma's Wine World.

Like previous vintages of this wine, the 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard's Heritage Zinfandel represents excellent QPR. The wine is predominantly Zinfandel (88%) with some Petite Sirah blended in (12%). It has a rich, dark color and abundant blackberry aromas. The blackberry fruit carries forward into the flavors, where there are also layers of black pepper and baking spices. The wine's overall impression is rich and spicy, but not heavy thanks to the bright fruit at the core.

I've been missing North Carolina, and so we had our Zinfandel with a time-saving take on Carolina-style BBQ: pulled chicken sandwiches with coleslaw. For those who don't know, not all BBQ sauce is tomato-based. This one is vinegar-based, with red peppers and other spices. You shred a store-bought roast chicken into the cooked sauce, pile it on a bun with some coleslaw, and you're as close to North Carolina as you can get without a plane ticket and a BBQ pit. Only a Zinfandel like this one could stand up to that vinegar without clashing, and the blackberry fruit was a nice foil to the spiciness of the sauce.

This vintage confirmed what I already knew. When it comes to Zinfandel, I've got my benchmark and it's from Dry Creek Vineyards.

Full disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

A Petite Sirah for a Petite Price

I love Petite Sirah--especially the big, luscious kind produced in California, with their fruity aromas and flavors of notes of chocolate and coffee.

Unfortunately many Petite Sirahs come with a hefty price tag--at least the ones that are worth drinking do.

I was thrilled, therefore, to find the 2005 Lot 205 Petite Sirah from Cartlidge & Brown. It's a very good QPR option if you like Petite Sirah but often find the cost is a bit too high for comfort. Available for between $9 and $12, this wine had jammy aromas of raspberry and blueberry compote. The palate was a touch leaner, with flavors of forest fruits and spices. The aftertaste had hints of mocha, which made this wine far above the norm when it comes to budget Petite Sirahs. As an added plus, this wine was lower in alcohol than many Petite Sirahs at 13.5% alc/vol.

This tasty, accessible wine would be perfect with any soup or stew. We had it with a triple-red pork stew, the official name of which is Ragout Prebonata. Pork and red wine, slowly cooked in the oven, was combined with a tomato and garlic sauce and sauteed red peppers cooked in a red wine reduction. It was delicious with this hearty red.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

The Wild Man of Grapes: Enkidu Petite Sirah.

Joel from Wine Life Today had a 2005 Enkidu Russian River Syrah for WBW #43, and that got me thinking--didn't I have a bottle of their wine somewhere? I remember being attracted to the winery's name (Enkidu is the Wild Man of the ancient epic Gilgamesh), the ancient script on the label, and the unusual 500 ml bottle size (some sources tell me the name for a 500 ml bottle is an imp--but I'd love to know for sure so please tell me if you know). Sure enough, a bit of rummaging revealed that I did have some Enkidu wine: a Petite Sirah, which would go just perfectly with the BBQ chicken I was planning to make for dinner.

Enkidu Wine is owned by Phillip Staehle. He got his start at Carmenet Vineyards, and when he ventured out on his own he decided he wanted to specialize in grapes from the Rhone and Burgundy, and use minimalist wine-making techniques to best express the character of the grape and the place where it was grown. Phillip uses fruit from a variety of vineyards in the Russian River Valley, on the Sonoma Coast, and Napa, then transforms the fruit into distinctive wines made in limited quantities. (picture of Philip and his lab--named Enkidu, of course--from Enkidu Wine).

I've only had one of his wines (so far) but I loved what Phillip does with one of the brawniest, wildest grapes there is: Petite Sirah. Known for its difficult tannins, Petite Sirah is not a meek and mild grape to work with. But Phillip transforms it into something smooth and delicious--although it does have a firm, tannic edge to it. The 2003 Enkidu Petite Sirah that I tasted was the first wine that Phillip made under his own label, and 265 cases were produced. ($11.99, Chronicle Wine Cellar; you can get this from other merchants online for between $13 and $28 depending on bottle size or directly from Enkidu for $28/750ml or $19/500ml) The wine had distinct aromas of plum, rose petals, and tar. I almost never detect tar in Petite Sirah, even though it is one of the aromas/flavors associated with the grape. Phillip gives the grapes maximum hang time to develop the black fruitiness and tar the grape is known for, and this also helps to keep the tannins in check. The flavors echoed the aromas, with plum, spice, and tar and a tannic finish that is long, but slightly drying.

This was one of the best Petite Sirah I've ever had, and if you can get 500ml for under $15 as I did, it certainly makes the excellent QPR mark. Even if you pay more, I think you will agree that the quality is very high for the price paid.

Rounding up the Petite Sirah for WBW #40

The Wannabe Wino, better known as Sonadora, has already finished the round-up of tasting notes from this past Wednesday's Wine Blogging Wednesday #40.

This is all the more impressive given the numbers: 52 bloggers and wine lovers wrote up their tasting notes, including 13 first-time participants in WBW. Together they drank wines from Israel, Mexico, France, Australia, Chile, and the US.

Petite Sirah is not to everyone's taste, since it is big, brash, and brawny so kudos to all the folks who cross-trained their palates and got outside their wine comfort zone. I loved my Twisted Oak wine, but not everyone was quite as lucky as I was, as you will see from the reviews.

Thanks again to Sonadora, to Lenn Thompson of Lenndevours, and to all those who participated and helped to make this such a successful pre-holiday event. Our hosts for January will be Jack and Joanne of Fork & Bottle, and I'll have the full details of the theme once they post it.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #40: Petite Sirah

Welcome to WBW #40, the monthly online tasting event that Lenndevours thought up over three years ago. This month our tasting theme was set by Sonadora, the Wannabe Wino. She picked Petite Sirah, the misunderstood and variably spelled grape variety whose mysterious origins were only established in 2003 when it was discovered that California's Petite Sirah was actually the French variety Durif--a cross between Pelousin and Syrah that had never really distinguished itself as a stand-alone grape in its home country but was usually used as a mix-in for other red blends.

This grape took very well to California, however, where warmer temperatures led to higher levels of ripeness. In the 1940s Larkmead (now known for its Cabernet Sauvignon) and Louis Martini started bottling "Duriff" wines that were probably made with Petite Sirah. Today more than 60 California producers make wine with this grape, including the folks at Twisted Oak. As soon as this theme was announced, I knew I had to have one of their Petite Sirahs from the Silvaspoons Vineyard in Lodi.

The 2004 Twisted Oak Silvaspoons Vineyard Petite Sirah was a terrific example of this varietal and what it can achieve if it is fully ripe when harvested. ($23.99, WineQ) Juicy aromas of boysenberry, plum, and sweet oak gave way to a palate of plummy richness with notes of fig which were entirely unexpected and added to the complexity of the wine. The finish had just a touch of cracked pepper--one of the hallmarks of this grape--and a nice tannic grip. We did decant this wine for 30 minutes since when I first opened it up it was a bit too mouth-puckering and dry. Petite Sirah is known for its long-term aging potential, so this was not entirely surprising. The 2004 Twisted Oak opened up nicely with just that little bit of extra air, and it continued to bloom and develop over the course of the evening. If you are lucky enough to have a bottle, I would give it another 6-12 months in the bottle, and it will be even better. A little more than I pay for most of my wine, this was complex enough that I felt the price was worth it--very good QPR.

With Petite Sirah, I find I crave something meaty and rustic, like stew or chile. We had it instead with meatloaf made according to the revised Joy of Cooking's recipe that uses oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs, and slathers chili sauce on top instead of the usual ketchup for a bit of extra kick. With it? Mashed potatoes and green beans of course. The Petite Sirah's unpretentious richness went just perfectly with this homey, comfortable, and tasty meal.

If this review makes your mouth water for something a bit twisted, there is a new vintage of this wine out now, so if you can't get your hands on the 04 you may want to set your sights on the 05 instead. Thanks to Sonadora for a great theme, and I will be posting a link to the roundup as soon as it's available.

WBW News: #39 Roundup and the New Theme for #40

We always knew there was very little that would keep Neil the Brooklynguy away from beloved Burgundy wines. But this week he rose to new heights. Despite computer problems, he managed to get the roundup of tastings from WBW #39 ("Silver Coast" Burgundies) up in under a week. There were some new bloggers (like regular reader Jeff at Indiscriminate Ideas), some bargain finds (Farley at her new blog Behind the Vines found a Burgundy for $3.99!), and all in all 36 reviewers tasted 52 wines. A great showing for a great theme.

And next month, there is more fun in store as Sonadora from Wannabe Wino leads us on a tasting adventure through Petite Sirah (or Durif, as it is known in some parts) in Wine Blogging Wednesday #40. This is a great winter wine, with lots of body and should not be confused with a syrah in a 375 ml split--this is its own grape! Get ready for some rich, robust red wine drinking and send her any notes or links by December 12. To read her full brief, click here. And if you want to learn more about the grape, its history, or its producers, you may want to visit the Petite Sirah advocacy group, PS I Love You.

What to drink next month...maybe something from a winery with a big, gnarly old tree...?

Winery Watch: Vinum Cellars

Here's the latest in my Friday posts highlighting California family wineries. You might not be familiar with all of them--yet--but they produce wines that speak with the voices of this state's people, places, and history. They are worth seeking out. These posts will be longer than most posts on the blog, but I hope you will find them perfect for leisurely weekend reading and internet browsing. Have fun! To read previous posts in the series, click here.

Do you remember your first Vinum wine? I do. I was heartily sick of over-oaked Chardonnay and a wine merchant in Davis, CA suggested I try Chenin Blanc. It was 1999 or 2000. There was a lot of Chardonnay around. A lot. Chenin Blanc? Who had heard of such a silly idea? I think I rolled my eyes.

He handed me a bottle with a label bearing the picture of two guys hitch-hiking near Clarksburg with a sign that said "Will Work for Chenin." That was enough to get me to take the wine, and as I was checking out the guy at the store said, "They're Aggies, you know." At home, when I opened the wine on a hot, hot Davis day capable of searing the flesh inside your nose (UC Davis alums will instantly know just what I mean), I thought I was in nirvana. Leave it to two Aggies to come up with the perfect summer wine. It was cool, crisp, and refreshing. I was sold on Chenin, sold on Vinum, and became a life-long fan. I was not alone. Friends started boasting that they were members of the "ABC" club (Anything But Chardonnay) after tasting their first Vinum Chenin Blanc, too.

I give UC Davis alums Richard Bruno and Chris Condos a lot of credit in the transformation of the American palate. (photo of Chris, Jack the dog, and Richard courtesy of Vinum Cellars). Since the first 1998 bottling of Vinum CNW (Chard-No-Way) Chenin Blanc, they were leaders in showing US drinkers that they didn't need to drink oaky wines all the time. The two decided to start Vinum Cellars based on friendship and their mutual love of not only chenin blanc, but other once obscure varietals. Their first bottle of Mourvedre, for instance, also dates back to 1998, along with their first bottle of Cabernet Franc. We take these varietals a bit for granted now, but in the late 1990s--they were revolutionary.

Today Richard and Chris work with family growers from Clarksburg to Santa Barbara, and from El Dorado County to Napa to make their fun and affordable line of wines, following in the footsteps of the negociants of Europe. They buy fruit from specific growers, overseeing the production themselves, and then marketing the resulting wines under the Vinum Cellars label. Ken Wilson (pictured at right with his beloved and famous dog, Tanker from the PETS Petite Sirah label, courtesy of Vinum Cellars), is one of those growers, and his family have been raising grapes in Clarksburg since the 1920s and have been growing wine grapes since 1971 when they planted their first 15 acres of Zinfandel grapes. Just 15 minutes from downtown Sacramento, today Wilson Vineyards grows over eight varietals for Vinum and other winemakers in California.

Vinum Cellars make what I call "go-to wines"--those essential wines that no matter the vintage or the varietal turn out to be great purchases. Spanning the spectrum of price points from barely over $10 to $30, there is a bottle for every purse, and every occasion. Here are a few highlights from their current releases that I particularly recommend for their great taste and great value:

2006 Vinum Cellars Chenin Blanc CNW (Chard-No-Way). ($11) From the Wilson vineyards in Clarksburg comes this very good chenin blanc, with a nice balance between bright citrus and soft melon flavors and aromas. A slightly silky texture makes this wine distinctive and elegant. Excellent QPR.

2004 Vinum Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon "Slow Lane" ($27). This is an excellent value in a Napa Valley cabernet. Warm aromas and flavors of cocoa and cassis are dusted with cinnamon, and these flavors develop throughout the long, juicy finish. Pull out the steaks, fire up the bbq. Excellent QPR.

2005 Vinum Cellars Petite Sirah PETS Wilson Vineyards ($14). The wine with Tanker on the label, this is another great Clarksburg wine from Ken Wilson's fruit that's slightly rustic in style, with brushy and herbal aromas and flavors, accompanied by red currant fruit. I'd be tempted to see how this wine would be in the fall, when it has a chance to settle down a bit since it's still pretty young. But if you can't wait, you're still in for a brawny red treat. A portion of the proceeds benefits the San Francisco SPCA. Very good QPR.

2005 Vinum Cellars Viognier VIO ($25). Made from fruit from San Benito County on the Central Coast, this excellent viognier has pronounced floral aromas or honeysuckle and jasmine and the taste of honeydew melons. It is perfumed and juicy, the perfect summer sipper. Very good QPR.

2006 Vinum Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon It's Okay! ($11). A rich rose, made of 100% cab grapes from Napa. Yes, a rose made with expensive cabernet grapes. It is dry, made in the Tavel style of France, with beautiful raspberry aromas and flavors, touched with a strawberry note. This is not your parents blush wine. Try it with bbq chicken, or some seared tuna. Very good QPR.

2004 Vinum Cellars Red Dirt Red ($30). This Rhone-style blend was made from grapes sourced in the Sierra Foothills of El Dorado County. In Chris and Richard's hands the classic combination of syrah, grenache and mourvedre yields a wine where rich red fruits combine with floral aromas of roses and violets to produce something really interesting and complex. Good QPR.

2004 Vinum Cellars Cabernet Franc "The Scrapper." ($30) A scrappy wine made with El Dorado fruit and an unapologetic attitude. Red currant aromas and flavors are held in check with a solid grip of tannins and a green freshness that would make this perfect for London broil marinated with balsamic vinegar and lots of rosemary. I think this will also settle down a bit and lose some of its tannins over the summer, so if you have a few bottles you might want to set some aside for beef stew in the fall. Good QPR.

So if you find yourself in a wine store with no familiar bottles in sight and you spot one of the Vinum labels, pick it up without hesitation and know that you're in for a treat. But why wait until you're desperate? Try a Vinum bottling soon by clicking on one of the highlighted wines above. You'll be taken in some cases to Vinum's online store, and in some cases to a list of merchants in the US who stock their wines. Even if you aren't a member of the ABC club, there's a Vinum wine for you.

Winery Watch: Ballentine Vineyards

This is the first in a series of posts highlighting California family wineries. You might not be familiar with them--yet--but they produce wines that speak with the voices of this state's people, places, and history. They are worth seeking out. These posts will be longer than most posts on the blog, but I hope you will find them perfect for leisurely weekend reading and internet browsing. Have fun!

This old Chenin Blanc vine from the Napa Valley represents the essence of Ballentine Vineyards. (photo courtesy of Ballentine Vineyards) With roots that extend back into the history of California winemaking, and a philosophy that embraces the best modern methods within a family-run operation, the Ballentine Vineyards team is producing some simply excellent wines as I discovered recently at the Family Winemakers of California tasting in Pasadena. Van and Betty Ballentine, along with wine-maker Bruce Devlin, presented a lineup of wines where every sip was better than the last. They said Napa Valley to me, and exhibited textbook varietal characteristics along with fabulous terroir.

The Ballentine story begins in 1884, when Betty Ballentine's grandfather, Libero Pocai, arrived in the US from Lucca, Italy. In San Francisco, Libero met and married Maria Cristofani and the two left the city following the devastating 1906 earthquake. He purchased 60 acres in the upper Napa Valley near Calistoga--about as close to viticultural heaven as you can get. The Pocais planted Zinfandel, Gamay, Charbono, Merlot, and Petite Sirah vines and started the 115th bonded winery in the state of California. This historic ranch was Betty's home, and the Pocai vineyards continue to produce the bulk of Merlot grapes used by Ballentine.

Around the same time as Libero and Maria Pocai moved to the Napa Valley, John Ballentine came to the US from Ireland. It was 1910, and John Ballentine lived in San Francisco for a decade before heading for the Napa Valley. In 1922, John purchased the original Sutter Home Winery which had become derelict due to Prohibition and renamed it Deer Park. Then, he waited. He was ready in 1933, when Prohibition was lifted, to bottle his first vintage. Cabernets, Zinfandels, and Rieslings all came from the Deer Park vines until, in 1959, Deer Park stopped making its own wines and began selling grapes to other makers such as Ravenswood, Rombauer, and Caymus. These were tough times for the wine industry, and many small family operations closed their doors.

Thankfully for us, after years of selling their grapes to others, Betty and Van Ballentine decided to revive the Ballentine brand. They built their own winery behind their farmhouse in 1995, and recently opened a tasting room that is open for visitors. Once they got things up and running they hired UC Davis graduate Bruce Devlin, a San Jose native with wine-making experience gleaned in Germany, South Africa, and Australia, to be their winemaker. In 1999 he joined the Ballentine crew, and was given the freedom to follow the grapes and his own inspiration in making wines. Check out The Cork Board's "5 Questions" interview with Devlin that was posted just this week to learn more.

Even with all that history, the Ballentines are still trying new things and developing new wines. Ballentine just released their first Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maple Lane Vineyard ($60) and if you are looking for a very, very special bottle of red for a gift or a family meal, this would be an excellent choice. (photo of Van Ballentine amid the cab vines at Maple Lane, courtesy of Ballentine Vineyards). It has amazing complexity, with intricate aromas of black cherry and fresh ground pepper. These notes follow through on the palate, along with an entire herb garden and spice cabinet of additional flavors, including vanilla, licorice, and mint. Get it while you can, and stash it away for the holidays. I think it is going to become a coveted and highly collectible wine.

Here are some of my other top picks along with brief impressions of the wines I tasted recently. You can click on the wine's name and be whisked straight to the Ballentine site to read more, and order some for delivery.

2006 Ballentine Chenin Blanc Old Vines ($15). A brisk and refreshing chenin blanc made from grapes grown in the historic Pocai family vineyards, with good acidity combined with aromas and flavors of pear and minerals. Perfect for spring and summer sipping on the porch, or with some fried chicken or bbq. Excellent QPR.

2002 Ballentine Zinfandel Old Vines ($18). What a beautiful color on this wine! Aromas of black and blue berries, with flavors of cranberry and cracked black pepper. Pizza, pasta, or grilled meats would be great with it. Excellent QPR.

2002 Ballentine Merlot Estate Grown ($22). Another find from Ballentine, which has received very favorable press reviews, this is a fantastic merlot with yummy black and red fruit aromas and flavors accented by warm notes of currant, spice, and pepper. Excellent QPR.

2002 Ballentine Zinfandel Reserve Block 9 ($27). This outstanding zin had complex aromas of flowers, black fruits, and spice which are also present in the flavors. Serious bang for the buck, with lots of complexity. I would buy this in a heart-beat. It's that good (and I'm not alone in thinking so. If you are a reader of wine mags you may have seen the positive reviews of this wine). Very good QPR.

2004 Ballentine Petite Sirah Field Blend ($35). Just 100 cases were produced of this outstanding blend of Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Carignane--all grown in the same vineyard. Intense blackberry flavors and aromas in a silky package, this wine would be a great match with a wide variety of foods. I really liked this wine, with its intriguing mixture of blockbuster fruit and elegant mouthfeel. Good QPR.

2002 Ballentine Integrity ($32). A very good, soft merlot blend with abundant aromas and flavors of blackberries, black cherries, vanilla, and herbs. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. I can't think of any food that would fail to pair well with this wine. Very food friendly. Good QPR.

These Ballentine bottlings represent the kind of wine we should be drinking.

They are such good value, and produced with such care. At a time when Napa wine prices are reaching stratospheric price levels, it is amazing to see how the Ballentines are able to make such seriously good wine at these prices. Their wines are readily available in LA, can be had directly from the vineyard, and I'm guessing you can find them at a wine store near you. If not, then march up to the counter and suggest that the buyer starts stocking these wonderfully affordable Napa wines.

Spread the word. Drink their wine. And if you are a fan of Ballentine wines, leave a comment and let us know which one is your favorite.

Next week: Four Vines Winery

The Way Zins Were: the 2004 Dry Creek Vineyard Heritage Zinfandel

I was reminded recently, when listening again to the first episode of Tim Elliott's great new Unfiltered podcasts, a roundtable format that he's introduced with guests from the blogosphere and the wine business, that I used to love zinfandels. If you check my posts from the last few months, though, you will see I don't drink much zin these days. Why? Too much alcohol, too much jammy fruit, and too much extraction. Not to mention too much headache the next morning. The guys on the podcast were lamenting the same changes, and remembering the old style zins with real nostalgia.

Is anyone making a zin like they used to be, I wondered? One that was round and yet peppery, fruity but with a brambly edge. And, one that doesn't knock you over with its power. So I went to the store in search of a lower alcohol zinfandel that might remind me of the wines I drank through the 90s. After turning around what seemed like every zin on the shelf, I found one that came in at just 13.5% alc/vol.

The 2004 Dry Creek Vineyard Heritage Zinfandel ($15 direct from the winery; check Wine Zap for lots of other merchants who are selling it for $11-$18) reminded me of the way zins were. An old-school Zin, with only 13.5% alch/vol, this is a subtle, smooth wine with textbook zin characteristics. Blended from 84% Zinfandel and 16% Petite Sirah grapes, it is dark, inky purple in color. Potent aromas of spice and blackberry come from the glass before you take your first sip. These aromas are followed up by blackberry, huckleberry at first taste, then waves of woody, brushy flavors and freshly cracked pepper. This wine had bright acidity and a long, juicy finish. Not a jam pot in sight! This was the kind of wine that made me love zinfandel, and I haven't had one like it for years. It represented excellent QPR, especially if this is the style of zinfandel you long for and rarely find these days.

With my zinfandel I had a simply grilled steak; a salad made with baby lettuces, red beets, a splash of balsamic vinegar, and olive oil; and some toasted baguette with goat cheese. Beef and zinfandel are a natural pairing, and the beets picked up the woody flavors in the zinfandel.

I'll be on the lookout for more zinfandels like this, and perhaps continue to scan the shelves for zins with lower alcohol to see if that is a consistent clue that helps me to find the brambly, peppery wines that remind me of the way zins were.