One thing I was thinking about while drinking this latest wine is why on the east coast do you not see a lot of Zinfandel in the grocery store markets? I am sure some of it is that your typical consumer on the east coast knows the name Zinfandel as the sweet White Zinfandel. I would think though that in small local wine shops they would have red Zinfandel available but most of the time they do not.

Today’s selection is the 2009 D-Cubed Zinfandel from Caslistoga California. This one comes from west coast website Underground Cellar and contains 14.4% alcohol. It has a very nice label though I am not sure what the “D-Cubed” part is.

There are multiple vintages out there according to their website and here are their tasting notes:

The D-cubed Cellars 2009 Napa Valley Zinfandel has bright black cherry and cassis fruit with hints of sage, vanilla, and black pepper. This wine is silky wine with supple tannins and balanced acidity. Flavors of cherries, raspberries, vanilla and hits of oak and toast make it a joy to taste. The long fruity finish leaves you with almost candied raspberries but is dry and fresh.

Viticulture: Appellation: : 100% Napa Valley Varietal Content: 100% Zinfandel Production: 1,184 cases Release date: November 1, 2012

Winemaking: Time in oak: 14 months Bottling: January 2011 Fining: No fining Alcohol: 14.4% Aging potential: 5 to 7 years

So how was it?

Color – Deep dark red.

Nose – Plum and smoked cedar.

Taste – Plum again with mocha, licorice and oak.

Finish – Medium to long with high acid and bold tannins.

Overall, even though this is high in acid it still is very smooth. It is a very typical Zinfandel with the bold plum and oak flavors but not overly oaky. I would recommend this bottle if you wanted to try out a red Zinfandel for yourself.

Rating: B

~Justin