Ravenswood Vintners Blend 2005 Zinfandel,
If you set out to create a classic California Zinfandel, you couldn't do better than this wine — probably Ravenswood's single best-known bottling. Made with grapes from every traditional Zin-growing area in the state, it's redolent with the varietal's trademark raspberry-and-spice character, backed by enough oak to lend it presence and sufficient structure to give it backbone. In especially ripe years, blackberries and black cherries tend to come forward, while cooler vintages show more charming red-fruit character. It isn't any mystery that this wine is so popular: rich, full, somewhat soft and altogether delicious, it's terrific with all kinds of food. The secret, rather, lies within Joel's tastebuds, which confer a crowd-pleasing knockout every year. |
