Wine Tasting on a Saturday night

Last evening the gang (I mean staff) from the tasting room gathered for an informal tasting of red Zinfandels. Over several hours, five different wines were compared and contrasted, swirled, sloshed and sipped, with food and without food. Interestingly, a relatively easy consensus was reached by our relatively diverse group on the most pleasing member of this particular Zinfandel pack. (The favorite will be revealed shortly.) Firstly, you must know that “proper” glassware was not involved here. As I mentioned, we’re an informal group sharing a common bond of employment, friendship and wine-lust. All of the wines “opened up” as the evening progressed. Those whom earlier had been pronounced, well, less-favorable, improved with air time. No wines were deemed undrinkable. Retail prices ranged from $16 to $35. The nearly unanimous favorite was Sequum Zinfandel Dry Creek ’05, described on the website thusly:

           

“A medium-high intensity ruby color is the first impression of our Dry
Creek Zinfandel. The nose is laced with aromas of cocoa, quince,
cranberry, boysenberry and pretty oak. The palate is sweet, complex
and very aromatic. The enticing finish is intertwined with black licorice,
orange zest, rose petal and clove flavors that are complex yet
appealing.”

A collective “WOW” from our humble group.

 
Another spectacular creation from Maggie at the Silvertree Deli
 
 
 
 

Fabulous poached pear with fromage bleu infusion and Zinfandel sauce on edible spring greens.  Painstakingly created and wonderfully presented by chef Matt at Silvertree.