Hey, Zin lovers... I found a remarkably good wine online at Wine.com, called Rancho Zabaco 2012 from Sonoma County. I learned through research that Sonoma County is second only to San Joaquin Valley for Zinfandel production in the U.S., so it's a pretty good guess they know what they're doing. Besides, being a Taurus, I liked the logo.
This wine is 93% Zinfandel and 7% Petite Syrah. I did a little research on Zinfandel wines and, from what I read, Zin may just be the oldest varietal in the world, with evidence showing it in wine production as early as 6000 BCE. To put it in perspective, in 6000 BCE, Egyptians were just beginning to settle near the Nile.
I also learned there is a technique in wine production that was developed specifically for Zinfandel, called Amador. There's some interesting controversy around this method which maintains the integrity of the alcohol content of the varietal.
This wine is a very deep violet red. The first thing I smell is spice and pepper over berries, typical Zin. And, on the first day, the taste was typical Zin... smoke, berries, licorice. I like it better on the second day. It's much smoother, with a velvety feel on the tongue and a nice, mocha finish.
Gotta be careful with it, though. It's very drinkable, but has almost 15% alcohol — which makes me think it should be enjoyed with food. This wine would probably work with any cuisine. I had it with a deli plate, and it was good, but what I wish I had been eating is a medium rare grilled steak with sauteed mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach.
Wine Advocate rated it 90, I would go with that. However, I really think this wine could sit for a year or two, which would make it rate 91, at least. And, it's less than $20.
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