Reviewed by Redneck Wine Guy
Here’s the setting – the last night of vacation on the South Carolina coast. My family decided for a night-in watching a movie, and I decided to do the farthest from it. Why sit inside on a perfect beautiful night at the beach when you can enjoy the last moments of mindless existence before returning to the real world of endless e-mails and voicemails. I popped the bottle of aforementioned vino, and after doing the sniff, pour, swirl, swish, taste regime I proceeded to pour a big glass and head out for the shore.
As you may have guessed, I was engaged in some self-questioning and doubt….should I really have proceeded with this plan, on a hot and muggy night, with a glass of Zinfandel? The other imbibers on the beach were toting beers, frozen cocktails of various incantations, and a few bottles of far-too-chilled whites. I was the lone guy on the beach with not only a red, but a zinfandel with the hue of octopus ink.
Upon first steps I thought I should have done the same – a cool Cuba Libré with a lime wheel would have been a spectacular choice. But nay, instead, a glass of full-bodied red. Well, I can attest that the evening decision was an amazing experience – solitude in nature with a glass of wine that improved and proved itself as I meandered along the sandy beach, collecting shells, and taking some pictures so I could share with my family what they were missing.
A word of caution – the boutique and tasting notes of this wine are very much closed upon first opening. While no wine should be solely judged upon first corking, this one especially falls into that category. Give it some time – wine, along with life, should be enjoyed slowly and given time to expose all it has to offer.
After some walking, swirling, and sipping what was first a mediocre bottle I began to see why this family has been in the wine business since 1895. Zinfandels usually fall into one of two categories – good/great or really bad. Drinkable vs. non-drinkable. This is a perfectly drinkable wine – the nose and taste of black cherry are well pronounced, a hint of ripe blackberry in the middle, with a spicy yet rounded finish of toned-down peppercorn. I’d also throw in that there is a subtle taste of fresh chewing tobacco, but only a certain segment of the reading population would appreciate that side note. The mouth feel is jammy and coats your tongue, but not enough so to turn away the average wine drinker.
Overall, a good value Zin that you can be proud to serve to your family and friends. Scouring the internet I found pricing between $17 – $26. Personally, I think anything over $20 is a little steep for this one, but give it a while in the cellar and a breathing period once opened and I imagine you’ll get your value for the price. After my evening experience, no matter the price it’s a hell of a better value than a cheap can of beer would have been!
-Redneck Wine Guy rating – 90
Costco item number: 57059
Price at Costco: $18.99