I was ready to tear into Quivira for putting out a wine at 15.1 percent alcohol… but then I checked out the company’s 2006 version of the same wine: 15.5 percent. I didn’t even think that was chemically/oenologically possible.
This single vineyard zin comes from Quivira’s Wine Creek Ranch vineyard, a hilly area in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley planted exclusively to zinfandel. It certainly seems like a good spot for it: This is easy-drinking zin, a little tight at first but one which opens soon to reveal a chunkier, not-too-jammy zin with shades of pepper, fresh thyme, and a long finish. (Perhaps the 8 percent petite sirah in the mix — not mentioned on the label by the way! — really adds to the magic?)
The alcohol sadly packs too much of a wallop here — so common with so much zin — but this is something I wouldn’t have too much trouble drinking with a little BBQ during some Indian summer days.
Tip: Serve slightly below room temperature.
B+ / $34 / quivirawine.com
