Question: Beringer Founders Estate - is it drinkable?

Don't remember having the Zin, but have had other grapes from Beringer Founders Estate. General sense is slightly sweet mass market wines, I think they retail for about $8 here.

Nils, I find that the Beringer Founders Estate bears little resemblence to good Zinfandel. I'm not sure what might be available in your part of the world but you might look for Rosenblum, Ridge or Ravenswood.

Hello I did a reality check with the not un-good Search engine of the Swedish monopoly.

No.

Yes - Vintner's Blend Zinfandel SEK 99 (USD 15.50)

No.

No.

Yes - Cline Zinfandel. SEK 89 (USD 14)

So, a grand total of two. These are superior to the Behringer object? You say so, apparently Bi!! also considers Ravenswood superior, so it will have to be that one ...

Not costly, any of them (but more than USD 8), so I'll invest in a good Sancerre for starters ...

Cheers

Nils

Nils, The Ravenswood Vintner's Blend (aka Château Cashflow) was once a very correct, inexpensive Zin. Since their purchase by Constellation, the Wal-Mart of the wine world, production has escalated and quality has fallen. Do you know if the Cline is the "California" or "Ancient Vines" bottling? The latter is a usually reliable cheapie Zin; the former is less interesting. Regardless, I'd probably choose the Cline as the best of a bad lot.

Mark Lipton

The Beringer Zin is available in France too, I actually bought a bottle once and found both unremarkable and untypical.

Given the Cline or Ravenswood "Vintners" I'd pick even the basic Cline without a moments hesitation. There is vintage variation in the Cline, but I can remember some that were very good QPR (for wine in the US, that is).

-E

I'd say the '99 Cline CA zin was in my top 5 under-$10 US wine values. I haven't had last couple vintages, but I don't remember one that wasn't at least ok.

Hello I appreciate your kind help and advice - my gut feeling is that I appreciate that more than the wine ... but, Cline it is. (It will come second to a Sancerre Les Baronnes, which will accompany seared fresh water perch with a truffle scented artichoke mousse ... mmmmmmm). I am considering pairing the Zin with pork or lamb, perhaps fresh blackberries and a small dab of my special vanilla olive oil, to underline some of the aromas in the wine ... I'll report back.

Cheers

Nils

Will the artichoke be strong enough in the mousse to affect the wine?

Go with the lamb, Nils -- it's a "classic" pairing with Zin. My advice would be to do it Greek style and place garlic cloves into a leg of lamb and roast. Cline's Zins are fairly savory in character, though they do have a characteristic mint/eucalyptus element IME.

Mark Lipton