Tasting 2007 The Zin

I think zinfandel's are a great every day wine. They are often affordable and if we're lucky can be quite luscious. The other day I tasted a 2007 vintage from Consentino Winery they label as "The Zin". Personally, I'm not to fond of clever or cute names, but this wine is exactly what you expect: a strong, traditional zin.

The wine presents a dusky, cherry body and the taste is all zinfandel. Strong, earthy flavors of tobacco, chocolate, blackberry with a trace of black pepper. I found the wine benefited from decanting, or at least let the wine open up for a while in your glass. I found it extremely tight otherwise. The wine has a short finish. You could drink this now but I think this will be much better in 2012.

The Zin is a modest and affordable ($15-$20) offering for casual wine drinking. Pick up a few bottles for next summer and enjoyed with your favorite grilled meat.

Tasting: 2006 Venta Mazzaron Tempranillo

One varietal that we seem to be drinking often these days is tempranillo. These (typically) Spanish reds tend to very affordable and quite enjoyable. The other night we opened a 2006 Venta Mazzaron Tempranillo. This wine is 100% tempranillo and drinks quite nicely.

At first pour the first thing I noticed was a smoky, berry nose. In the glass this wine offers a pleasant dark strawberry color with nice legs. Sipping reveals berries, a trace of plum with a very subtle spice note. The wine finishes with a strong tannic coat, that actually I found appetizing. While tasting, I realized this would be a perfect match to a tapa plate of olives and cured meats. I found some salami and it paired wonderfully.

You can definitely drink this now, although I'd like to try a bottle in a few years. The Wine Advocate gave this 90 pts and I think you'll enjoy this.  You should be able to find a bottle for around $15.00 which I think is a terrific value.