2001 Ravenswood Vintners Reserve Zin

I've had a hunkering (for our European friends, a/k/a "craving") for some BBQ all day; don't know why. What kind of BBQ did you have? I like beef ribs but don't like using my fingers - too messy. I'm not as bad as Sen. Kerry daintily eating at Philly Cheesesteak with Swiss though. ;-) Well, maybe I am but no one notices since I don't have a few hundred million dollars.

Hi Mark,

My house Zin is Cline's California at 8 bucks a pop. But the RVRZ is my favorite for a few bucks more. Have you read "The History and Mystery of Zinfandel" by Darlington? It talks about how the RVRZ is blended and the thought process behind it. The book is a bit dated, but I think they do the same thing today.

Absolutely a benchmark Zin. I drink it with burgers, pasta with a marinara, and even tuna fish sandwiches.

Best Regards,

Rich R.

-- The journey is the reward.

Salut/Hi Wee presbyterian

le/on Wed, 20 Aug 2003 19:09:27 -0600, tu disais/you said:-

Forgine me correcting you, but as you assumed that Europeans wouldn't understand, I allowed myself the luxury. "Hunkering" is the present participle of the verb to "hunker" as in "hunker down behind these bushes" I've always assumed that it meant to sit on one's haunches. Hankering is perfectly well understood in the UK, it's the present perticiple of the verb "to hanker" - to long for.

So having hankered for a chance to be a pedant, I'll now hunker down and wait for the abuse to subside.

As for BBQ, we often make them from Magret de Canard (breasts from ducks fattened for foie gras), served (to drag this post kicking and screaming back on topic) with a nice young red Bergerac from Domaine de l'Ancienne Cure from a bag-in-the-box at €2.55 a litre.

"Angel's Visits: An Inquiry into the Mystery of Zinfandel" by David Darlington. I have it in hardback, signed by the author, who like me was a regular customer of Solano Cellars in Berkeley back when Bill Easton (now owner of Easton/Terre Rouge in Amador) was still the owner. That "Chateau Cash Flow" line was appropriated from a Joel Peterson quote in the book, matter of fact...

Although you appear to be in CT, you still sound like a candidate for membership in ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers), a great organization of Zin-fanatics. And, if you can find your way out to the Bay Area in January, their yearly tasting events are well worth attending (even the Big Event, though it's not my favorite).

Mark Lipton

Hey Mark, Thanks for the notes. The only Ravenswood Zin I've tried is the Vintner's Blend - cheap and pretty good. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Ravenswood has a number of Zins in the vintage...

Greetings Mark, Ian, Kirk, et al

Thanks for the notes on the 2001. Only tried a couple 2001 zins myself, but it does look like a promising vintage.

As to BBQ hankerings, a couple musings: One of the biggest self-disappointments I've had is finding myself occasionally using the word BBQ (Barbecue/Barbeque ) to describe any outdoor party that uses a grill (it's a NY thing). Now, I know BBQ is properly used only to describe very slow cooked meat over an open fire. So forgive me those lapses.

In fact, as someone who spend most of his formative years in North Carolina (east of the Lexington BBQ Demarcation Line) , I know that the ONLY REAL BBQ is extremely slow cooked pork (whole or shoulder), served with a simple vinegar-based sauce (no tomato) and cole slaw. AKA pulled pork., But I will overlook you poor misbegotten heathens who misuse the term BBQ to describe beef and other meats. :)

So, back on-topic: While beer or "sweet tea" is the tradional accompaniment to real Southern BBQ, I've found the following are first things that come to mind: With REAL BBQ (see above), I like off-dry Rieslings, or light reds along the line of quality Beaujolais or possibly Loire reds. With the other NC BBQ (western style, where there's tomato in sauce), I tend to go for a lighter-style simple Zin. For that peculiar (but I got to admit tasting) South Carolina variant with mustard in the sauce, dry Alsace Rieslings For KC ribs, either a Riesling with sweetness or a true blockbuster style of spicy Zin. For Texas brisket* , a zin with some real character or a medium-bodied Chianti

I won't generalize on things like BBQed duck or salmon, as preparation varies. Your thoughts? Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Here's a couple of recent TNs that might help direct your search:

Ravenswood, Vintners Blend, 2000, £7.00, Tesco Intense ruby colour. Big legs. Intense dark fruit, spice and vanilla nose. Hot. Off dry. Medium acidity. Med-low tannin. Intense dark fruit. Good length, fruity acid to the last.

Ravenswood, Lodi, 2000; £8.00, Sainsbury Intense ruby-garnet. Shade lighter than the Vintners Blend. Some legs. Dark fruit, spice. and vanilla nose . More restrained than Vintners Blend. Does not smell hot. Off dry. Medium acidity. Medium tannin. Intense dark fruit and some earthy flavours. Good length, with slightly bitter finish.

UK prices and shops. On balance I rated both about the same - pretty good. Both were tasted on a very hot day (at a BBQ as it happens). With the BBQ I think the more in-your-face fruit of the Vintners Blend had the edge, but on another occasion I would go for the Lodi.

C'mon you guys, now I have to do MORE research. I already know I like the Ravenswood VB, but now I have to go to the local and pick up 1 bottle each of VR, Amador, Lodi and any other Ravenswood Zin I can find for

Memphis-style

Thanks, sounds good. And I realized I wrote "hunkering" instead of "hankering" right after I sent the message, and had no doubt that someone would correct me. Am glad I was not let down.

Oh! The poor, much defiled Zinfandel. Why would anyone want a dull sickeningly ugly ducklng of a sweet & flavorless white Zin. while there is that Swan among reds the Red Zinfandel, america's own vinifera varietal whch can do battle with Cabernet & usually destroy Merlot & Pinot Noir??? what a waste

Live Simply..... That others might smply live "Now He Belongs To The Angels".... Secretary of war Stanton's origional quote on the death of President Lincoln (the next day he changed it to "Now He Belongs to the Ages.") for the newspapers Lancaster Civil War Round Table Website

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (E. Carl Speros) wrote in news:89-3F460287-21 @storefull-2115.public.lawson.webtv.net:

Sorry? Who said anything about white zinfandel?

I like the Icon wine that Ravenswood makes, but I am biased because I bought 3 bottles for less than $10 each. At full retail I am not sure it is worth it. It's good, though.

Most of the vineyard-specific wines (not just zin, but including zin) are pretty good, but not cheap.

I like Turley. I am headed to Paso Robles TODAY to see what they've got on hand.

Dimitri

That's very kind, but it's a looooong way across the Atlantic for a BBQ :-)

It's not. Zinfandel vines were brought to the US from Croatia (where they were known as Crljenak) in the 19th century.

There's no "america's vinifera".

I think that in all fairness few varietals are truly indigenous to the area that they are asociated to. Zinfandel is the truly distinctive (and remarkable, as Mark has taught me) varietal of California, just as Furmint is the varietal of Tokaj and Mourvedre the varietal of Bandol. That fact that none originated there does not change the fact that they are each zone's own vinifera varietal.

But I understand your comment.

Mike

Salut/Hi ampelologist,

le/on Sat, 23 Aug 2003 16:10:17 +1000, tu disais/you said:-

Technically, of course perfectly right, but then there's probably no European V. vinifera either, as the species almost certainly originated in the Middle East. But I'm tempted to say "so what?" Just as it's true to say that for many people, Pinot Noir and Cardonnay are synonymous with Burgundy while for Michael P they're synonymous with Champagne, by the same token when one says "Zinfandel" any intelligent non pedant with think "California".

Mark Lipton

None can rob California of its Zin - I was just speaking ampelographically.

Cheers

Agreed. (If we discard theories that V. vinifera is a different botanical species from the wild grape V. silvestris).

I agreed in my other response - Zinfandel is a Californian wine - but I'd expect the Zin aficionados to be more interested in tasting the Crljenak Kasteljanski wine (if any can be found) than defending the Zin's Californian-ness.... I know that Aussies enjoy the remarkable difference between Shiraz and Syrah... although there is none, as far as the genotype is concerned.

Which just got me thinking, is Arnie a Styrian or a Californian? ;) :))

(BTW, I love California, Zin and Arnie, but the latter only in Kindergarten cop :).. and yes I do come from Croatia, well sort of :) )