Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/271567
march 2014 / the tasting panel / 125 But is this being fair to the grape? For many wine lov- ers, Zinfandel makes just as noble a varietal as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir or any other variation of Vitis vinifera. That terroir is part and parcel of wines from France, for instance, is never questioned by the cognoscenti. Why should Zinfandel get short shrift? The problem with ignoring terroir and appreciating Zinfandel only in terms of varietal expectations is that this approach is an affront to what truly makes wine special: something unique to where it is grown. We don't rate a Musigny in terms of a Chambertin. That would be silly; and so would expecting a Zinfandel from Lodi or Paso Robles to taste like one from Sonoma or Napa Valley. Case in point: Ridge Vineyards, the pioneer of modern day Zinfandel. Some time ago Ridge stopped putting "Zinfandel" on their labels; instead, what you see instead are place names, like Benito Dusi Vineyard in Paso Robles, and Lytton Springs and Geyserville in Sonoma County. This is partly because Ridge's bottlings are often field blends, in which Zinfandel is the chief component. But mostly it is because they are saying they no longer produce wines that are supposed to taste like Zinfandel; but rather, wines that taste like Benito Dusi, Lytton Springs or Geyserville. Both Bob Bath, MS, an educator at C.I.A. Greystone, and I conducted regional seminars involving bottlings by Ridge. My talk focused on Paso Robles–grown Zinfandels, which are becoming better known for their soaring fruit anchored by unusually high, energetic acidity derived primarily from the presence of alkaline (pH as high as 8), limestone-like soils, a terroir epitomized by producers like Turley Wine Cellars and DAOU Vineyards. Ridge's Benito Dusi, on the other hand, is grown on a lower pH flat of Paso Robles, characterized by alluvial gravelly loam rather than lean calcareous slopes. The result is a lusher, looser, rounder style of wine than Turley's or DAOU's—different, not better, and certainly just as good. In his talk on Dry Creek Valley Zinfandels, Bath presented a 2012 Ridge Lytton Springs that seemed like the essence of the grape—briary, brambly, jamming in both red and black berryish fruit—but then again, according to Bath, "consistency of varietal character is what Dry Creek Valley terroir is all about; it is to Zinfandel what the Napa Valley is to Cabernet Sauvignon." Christopher Sawyer, Wine Director at Sonoma's Carneros Bistro, presented Zinfandels typical of other Sonoma County terroirs. Sawyer described Zinfandels like Carol Shelton's Karma as "rich, plush, quintessential," and St. Francis's Serres Ranch as "ripe, robust, opulent." Almost the opposite of the Sonoma styles were the Zinfandels from Lodi, shown by Catherine Fallis, MS of planetgrape.com. Commented Fallis, on wines such as Harney Lane's Lizzy James and McCay's Trulux, "these Zinfandel styles are not punchy; they rely on more of a subtle, balanced, grounded intensity, very much a reflection of Lodi's steady, dependable Mediterranean climate . . . complex and characterful in their own way." Even more unique were the Mendocino Ridge–grown Zinfandels like Steele's DuPratt and Witching Stick's Fashauer, presented by Ellen Landis CS, CSW, owner/sommelier of Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn. "You get a strong thread of minerality, greater acidity and generally lower alcohol in Mendocino Ridge Zinfandels," said Landis, "and although alcohols in other parts of Mendocino can get up to 16%, you generally find a lovely sense of elegance across the board." Tracey Berkner, owner/sommelier of Restaurant Taste in Plymouth, CA, talked about the mountain-grown Zinfandels of Sierra Foothills. Citing wines like Cedarvillle and Lava Cap's Reserve—both grown in El Dorado's granitic slopes, more than 2,500 feet high—Berkner talked about "distinguishing nuances of pepper, herbal and earthy notes . . . especially minerally and woodsy qualities going beyond Zinfandel fruitiness." Rob Renteria, sommelier at San Francisco's La Folie, commented, "There are a lot of different Zinfandels appeal- ing to a lot of different tastes." Renteria invited Bill Easton, owner/winemaker of Terre Rouge and Easton, to help draw a picture of Amador County: "elevations from 500 to 2,300 feet, and 30° to 35° temperature swings that allow for good acidity." Typifying the extremes, the Easton Rinaldi Zinfandel, produced from 100- to 120-year-old vines, came across as lean and sinewy, with a touch of rustique, yet replete with varietal berryishness. Sommeliers, in other words, have a lot more in common with Zinfandel producers than they may think. We adore terroir-driven diversity, and we're somewhat put off by numerical scores that pigeonhole varietal standards. If you look at Zinfandel beyond the usual picture of big alcohol and ripe fruitiness, you'll find plenty of wines that fit your taste and culinary needs. And strangely enough, you might find yourself circling right back again and come to appreciate even the classic big, ripe Sonoma Zinfandels for what they are—not what you think they're supposed to be. PHOTO: CATHLEEN FRANCISCO/VINEYARD360.COM Somms on Zin (left to right): Catherine Fallis, MS, planetgrape. com; Christopher Sawyer, Wine Director, Carneros Bistro, Sonoma; Tracey Berkner, owner, Restaurant Taste, Plymouth, CA; Ellen Landis CS, CSW, owner, Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn, Half Moon Bay, CA; Rob Renteria, Sommelier, La Folie, San Francisco; a very animated Bob Bath, MS, C.I.A. at Greystone, Napa Valley. PHOTOS: RANDY CAPAROSO