Tasting Ports and Late Harvest Zins at ZAP
When I told a man at the ZAP festival that I was focusing on late harvest Zinfandels and port-style wines he blanched as if I had casually said that I prefered licking the floor of the Fort Mason pavillion to tasting Zin. "I'm trying to stay away from that stuff," he said. I explained that I had tasted other wines first but I felt a bit of censure. When I went to the tasting booths people often looked a bit surprised when I informed them I was there for the Port or the late harvest Zinfandel. In general people tend to stay away from these wines at tastings perhaps in order to not get too tipsy, perhaps because they think the sugar might mute the palate. I think they are really missing out. The chance to taste a wide variety of dessert wines is a rare and precious experience.
One of my favorite things in the world is to bring my deep dark chocolate cake and a Port-style dessert wine to a dinner party, I always delight in finding new sweet wines that are not just a big dose of sugar but also capture the complexities of the grapes used. I've heard the argument befofre that most dessert wines are all alike but I disagree.
My favorite of the day has to be the Matzin from Vino Con Brio because to me it represents the quailities I associate with zin, the big blackberry and pepper notes, the sense of brambly wildness, while still having sensuous sweetness that makes it a great dessert wine. If I were showing up somewhere with a bottle, I might spring for the EOS Port which has a lovely pewter label and is just as lovely on the inside. After the jump, my favorites of the sweet stuff.
A
2004 Vino Con Brio, Matzin, Late Harvest, $21
My favorite of the sweet wines, not too port-like and with a rich spicy note that seems the essence of Zinfandel
2003 Eos, Zinfandel Port, Estate Bottled, Paso Robles, $30
earns major points for the design of the bottle alone, notes of cherries, plums, figs, absolutely lovely
2005 Van Ruiten, Late Harvest, Lodi, $28
A late harvest Zin that is deliciously plummy but not overly sweet so it could also be paired with dinner as well as dessert
B
2005, Opolo Late Harvest, Paso Robles,
sweet, but also strangely tart, a mixture of pepper and jam, very nice finish
2004 Red Head Ranch, Late Harvest, Old Bailey, Paso Robles
solid, not too sweet but just not luscious enough to make it a fantastic dessert wine
2000 Selby Winery, Port, Dry Creek Valley, $14
definitely a Zinfandel, peppery and intense
2005 Mitchell Katz Winery at Ruby Hill, Port Liquid Love, Ruby Hill Vineyard
very spicy and rounded, nice mouthfeel
Montevina Terra d"Oro Port
a classic Port-style wine, nothing amazing
2005 Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, Late Harvest, $20
great spice and blackberry notes with no alcohol burn
2005 Dashe Cellars Late Harvest, Dry Creek, $24
almost too sweet and heavy, nice black raspberry flavors but a bit too jammy
2003 Lolonis Late Harvest, Redwood Valley, $18
it had a nice aged quality but was a bit too burny
C
2004 ZinAlley, Port, Nerelli Vineyards, Paso Robles, $42
honeyed and floral but not too sweet, however it was not really rich enough for my tastes
2005 Hawley, Late Harvest, Ponzo Vineyard, Russian River Valley, $22
not Port-like at all, fresh and sweet but very thin and flat
2004 Trentadue, Port, Estate, Alexander Valley, $25
too sweet!, overly grapey with bitter notees
2005 Rotta Port, Modelumne Rim Vineyard, Lodi, $25
more of a wannabe Port, jammy and with a heavy aftertaste
2004 Vino Con Brio, Matzin, Late Harvest, $21
My favorite of the sweet wines, not too port-like and with a rich spicy note that seems the essence of Zinfandel
2003 Eos, Zinfandel Port, Estate Bottled, Paso Robles, $30
earns major points for the design of the bottle alone, notes of cherries, plums, figs, absolutely lovely
2005 Van Ruiten, Late Harvest, Lodi, $28
A late harvest Zin that is deliciously plummy but not overly sweet so it could also be paired with dinner as well as dessert
B
2005, Opolo Late Harvest, Paso Robles,
sweet, but also strangely tart, a mixture of pepper and jam, very nice finish
2004 Red Head Ranch, Late Harvest, Old Bailey, Paso Robles
solid, not too sweet but just not luscious enough to make it a fantastic dessert wine
2000 Selby Winery, Port, Dry Creek Valley, $14
definitely a Zinfandel, peppery and intense
2005 Mitchell Katz Winery at Ruby Hill, Port Liquid Love, Ruby Hill Vineyard
very spicy and rounded, nice mouthfeel
Montevina Terra d"Oro Port
a classic Port-style wine, nothing amazing
2005 Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, Late Harvest, $20
great spice and blackberry notes with no alcohol burn
2005 Dashe Cellars Late Harvest, Dry Creek, $24
almost too sweet and heavy, nice black raspberry flavors but a bit too jammy
2003 Lolonis Late Harvest, Redwood Valley, $18
it had a nice aged quality but was a bit too burny
C
2004 ZinAlley, Port, Nerelli Vineyards, Paso Robles, $42
honeyed and floral but not too sweet, however it was not really rich enough for my tastes
2005 Hawley, Late Harvest, Ponzo Vineyard, Russian River Valley, $22
not Port-like at all, fresh and sweet but very thin and flat
2004 Trentadue, Port, Estate, Alexander Valley, $25
too sweet!, overly grapey with bitter notees
2005 Rotta Port, Modelumne Rim Vineyard, Lodi, $25
more of a wannabe Port, jammy and with a heavy aftertaste
