A Study in Zinfandel

A while ago I was invited to a Zinfandel tasting at the home of a fellow wine writer. She had solicited wines from eight BC wineries (betcha didn’t know that there were so many BC zins) to compare to a California one. California zinfandels typically show the following characteristics – jammy ripe fruit, dark berries, spice, pepper and bramble. Some are quite high in alcohol. A small group of like-minded people diligently worked their way through the flight and compared notes. The results were quite interesting.

 

California – Edmeades            2012                15% alcohol

• Palate – well balanced, medium-body, firm ripe tannins
• Aroma – blackberry and earthiness
• Finish – Medium-long
• Rating – very good

BC – Young & Wyse              2012                13.7%

• Palate – well balanced, medium plus body, balanced tannins, plum flavours
• Aroma – blackberry, bramble and graphite
• Finish – Medium-short
• Rating – good

BC – Covert Farms                 2012                13.9%

• Palate – dry, medium-body, firm tannins
• Aroma – chocolate and dark fruit
• Finish – Medium-short
• Rating – good

BC – Black Sage Vineyard     2012                14%

• Palate – well balanced, medium-body, firm ripe tannins
• Aroma – blackberry, dry chocolate, juicy berries
• Finish – Medium-long
• Rating – very good

BC – Inniskillin Discovery Series        2011    14%

• Palate – well balanced, medium-body, firm ripe tannins
• Aroma – blackberry and earthiness
• Finish – Medium-long
• Rating – good

BC – Mount Boucherie                        2010    14.2%

• Palate – good balanced, medium plus body, spicy black pepper and gamay flavours
• Aroma – floral notes (violets), spice, tomato leaf – gamay-like
• Finish – Medium
• Rating – very good

BC – Rustico                                       2011    14.3%

• Palate – good balanced, medium-body
• Aroma – plum, dark cherry and earthiness
• Finish – Medium
• Rating – good

BC – Desert Hills                                 2011    14.7%

• Palate – good balance, medium-body
• Aroma – pleasing fruit
• Finish – Medium
• Rating – good

 

BC – Kettle Valley                               2013    16%

• Palate – good balance, medium-body, firm ripe tannins
• Aroma – pleasing fruit
• Finish – Medium-long, warm
• Rating – good

All wines were similar in appearance with garnet-red colour and medium deep intensity and all wines showed some aspects of classic zinfandel aroma and flavour. The California one was more fruit forward and higher in alcohol than the ones from BC and that appealed to one person in the group, while others felt that the BC examples had better structure and were more food friendly. Some of the wines were from 2011, which was a cool year in BC and ripening red grapes was a challenge for some growers, yet the ones in this flight still had good levels of alcohol. From my perspective, this exercise proved, once again, that BC can compete with wines from anywhere in the world.

Because there isn’t much zinfandel planted in BC, production levels are very small and some of these wines are only available at the winery.

Sam, The Wine Teacher, has been an educator, a home winemaker, a wine judge for too many years to count and is the former Guild Master of the BC Guild of Wine Judges. He has offered wine education and appreciation courses for Pacific Breeze Winery, Capilano College, Eden West fine foods, the Richmond School District Continuing Education department, the VAWA, the BCAWA as well as for various private functions. He also trains staff and offers cellar evaluations.