Review: 2007 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Wine Creek Ranch
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
2007 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Wine Creek Ranch
$34
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I just came across this review and…
1. 15% alcohol is not that unusual in a Zinfandel, this is due to the naturally higher levels of sugar. Think back to chemistry class, sugar converts to alcohol.
2. The small amount of petite sirah probably does add some punch to this Zin, and I would never expect to see an 8% addition on a label. According to law, if a wine is made up of 75% or more of one specific varietal, then that wine may be called by that specific varietal. That’s what the internet is for :-) To the majority of the market, a small addition of petite sirah means nothing to them.