Oak Ridge Vineyard OZV Old Zinfandel Vines 2012 (About $14)

About the Wine:  I reviewed the 2009 vintage of this a few years ago.  That was a difficult vintage in California but I liked the wine.  2012 is a critically acclaimed vintage but one that has never been a personal favorite.  California reds from that year have an extracted, cola quality that is not all that pleasant to someone looking for something that tastes like wine and not soda.

About THIS Wine:  The dreaded cola notes are definitely there on the nose.  But so is a fair amount of dark fruit.  The palate has a blend of cola and mocha qualities that linger in a decent finish.  It's a little sweeter than I would like for it be.  It is not unpleasant, but it does taste like an impending hangover.  The cola quality does recede a bit when the wine breaths.

Drinking This Wine:  You could serve this lightly chilled or even make a sangria out of it.  It's hard to really see it as a dinner wine.

Overall Impression:  As much I would love to love this wine, the winemaker just did not overcome the less desirable qualities of the vintage.  This wine should not top ten dollars and is therefore overpriced.

Peirano Estate Petite Sirah 2012 (About $16)

About the Wine:  2012 was a great vintage in California and I have always loved the Petite Sirahs of Lodi so it is hard to imagine that this will be a miss.  I do not really know the producer, so I did extensive research that consisted of reading the back of the bottle.  According to that, this winery is in its sixth generation within the same family and has been in business since 1895.  Perhaps this is another of Lodi's many hidden gems.

About THIS Wine:  It is dark as night in the glass with a dark purple rim.  Raisin and fig notes are prominent on the nose.  The palate is surprisingly reticent.  That is an unusual characteristic for the appellation.  After a few minutes, and no small amount of impatient swirling, the wine reveals a luxurious dark fruit palate with a fairly dry finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Normally, I consider Petite Sirah a quaffing wine but this one has some tannin and body that make it a promising paring with roasted ham or chicken.

Overall Impression:  I have always been a sucker for Lodi and this wine is no exception.  That said, it does present some surprisingly Old World characteristics that only raise my estimation of it.  And that is why I think it is an absolute steal for this price.

Black Bear Red Chair Petite Sirah 2010 (about $14)

About the Wine:  The Petite Sirah grape and the Lodi region are among the most unpretentious things in the history of the wine business.  Generally derided as "fruit bombs", these wines helped usher me into wine appreciation with their easy drinking, fruit forward nature.  The posh wine shop where I now work finally got in some Lodi wines.  I don't know if my awesomely compelling arguments had anything to do with it so I have no choice but to assume that they did.


About THIS Wine:  The wine is opaque, unless you hold it up to a bright light in which case it is blood red and still opaque.  Blackberry, dark chocolate, and leather make up an usually brooding nose for this kind of wine.  The berry flavor delivers on a slightly creamy palate that ends in a jammy finish.  This is not as over the top as some Lodi wines but it definitely has the characteristics of the region.  Mocha lingers on the palate.

Drinking This Wine:  This wine needs no food but if I had to pair it with something I would say a heavily seasoned pork roast.

Overall Impression:  This is an example of everything I love about Lodi.  At $14 a bottle it is a good value.

Petite Petit 2010 (about $17)

About the Wine:  Traditionalists sometimes call California winemakers the "Mad Scientists" of the wine business.  While the makers from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Tuscany strive for consistency, California winemakers are forever trying to find ways to make wines that are truly different.  Michael David is a maker of particular vision and with an especially pronounced disregard for tradition, as demonstrated in this blend of Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot.  These are two grape varietals that never meet in traditional wine making.

About THIS Wine:  It is opaque purple in the glass with a violet rim.  The nose presents the jammy red fruit that more or less defines the Lodi appellation.  That fruit is present on the palate with an interesting undercurrent of tannin that makes this a good wine for a light meal.  Pasta dishes or a light lasagna seem especially suitable.

Drinking This Wine:  As stated, it would be good with lighter Italian food.  It would also make a good burger wine.  There is a little too much acidity for a sipper.  Another year of aging would not hurt this wine but it will not get much better than it is now.

Overall Impression:  This wine is okay but I can't say I'm especially thrilled with it.  Much as I am a fan of Michael David I am going to have to say that this one is a little overpriced.

Peirano Estate Chardonnay 2011 (about $10)

About the Wine:  Lodi, California is a wine growing region best known for its accessible, fruit forward reds.  I have never had a white from there so this will be a learning experience.

About THIS Wine:  The wine is golden yellow in the glass with no distinct rim.  Oak, peach, and apricot blend on the nose.Citrus and oak are strong on the palate.  The finish is fairly acidic, so much so that I don't think this wine went through the malolactic fermentation that gives most California Chards their buttercream taste.

Drinking This Wine:  This is acidic enough that it needs food.  Grilled chicken, light vegetarian dishes, or cheddar cheese would all go well.

Overall Impression:  This is not a wine you bring to impress anyone but it is very pleasant and perfectly drinkable.  This one is good for the price. 

OZV Old Vine Zinfandel 2009 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Zinfandel is one of the strangest of all wines.  It ranges from syrupy sweet to painfully dry.  This is one of my favorite varietals but buying a new one is always a risk.

About THIS Wine:  The center is dark purple with a violet rim.  Jammy red fruit dominates the nose and is complimented by notes of spice.  The palate is very rich with lots of mocha and cream with a whipped cream finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Sipping wine all the way.  The palate is not really sweet but it is definitely not dry and does not compliment any particular food.

Overall Impression:  Wine snobs and novices alike can enjoy this wine and it is a nice bridge between sweet and dry.  This wine would not be at all overpriced at twenty-five a bottle.  At fifteen it is a steal.

Maggio Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (about $11)

About the Wine:  Lodi is a growing region in central California best known for its production of Zinfandel (the red wine, not the pink crap.)  The appellation has gained prestige in recent years and the mention of it on a label is a good sign.  I'm used to seeing bottles from there go for between fifteen and twenty-five dollars.  What an eleven dollar price tag means, I have no idea.

About THIS Wine:  The color is very light for a cab, a red center with a pink rim.  Plum and clove make up a rich and pleasant nose.  The palate is thick, almost syrupy with pomegranate and fairly sharp tannins fading into a cherry finish.

Drinking This Wine:  A bit too tannic for a sipping wine, this would go well with meaty pasta dishes or lasagna.

Overall Impression:  The wine buyer at the story where I was says this drinks like a twenty dollar bottle.  I would say closer to fifteen.  Either way, at eleven this a great value.

3 Girls (or Three Girls) Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (about $14)

About the Wine: The label has a cute heart worked into it, the wine has a cute name, and the back of the bottle tells a cute story that does not convey any information about the wine.  There are some things that set off a warning that a wine is going to be terrible and this bottle has all of them.  But I have been wrong before and it is important to reserve judgement.  I have had very good luck with wines from Lodi, which is where this one is from, and 2010 is a pretty good vintage for California Cabs.

About THIS Wine:  In the glass it is very dark red with a crimson rim.  Intense raspberry is prevalent on the nose along with notes of smoke and cedar.  The raspberry delivers on a soft, velvety, and slightly sweet palate.  To be clear, the wine is not objectively sweet it is just sweet for a cab.  Soft tannins and more raspberry make up a nice finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is definitely a sipping wine.  Enjoy as an after dinner alternative to heavier dessert wines.

Overall Impression:  3 Girls is ideal as an introductory Cab for the drinker who is not accustomed or agreeable to the heavy dryness and oak found in many cabs.  It is a good value.