Z! Z says "zuh!". Z! Z for Zinfandel!

Yeah, I have a toddler. She thinks Z is for Zebra. Silly baby, Z is for zinfandel!

Ok...so it looks like this blog is gonna be a weekly thing at best. What with taking care of my baby girl, the laundry, the lawn, replacing dead pond fish, etc, time is scarce.

So anyway...I'm firing up the ol' bbq. 1st time in many months.  I guess I'm sort of a wimp when it comes to cooking in the cold.

BBQ usually equals beer, and there's no shame in throwing back a bunch of cans or bottles of whatever with your grill full of whatever. Beer rocks. I could write a beer blog, but why bother? Beer is easy, everyone knows what they like and we don't usually sweat over which kind to buy.

But guess what? Wine is easy too! Once you know the basics, and that's what I'm here for.

Today's lesson:

BBQ = Zinfandel.

"Great I brought some!"
"Hey, get that pink shit out of here!" 
"But you said zinfandel.  : ("
"That's right I did, but I didn't say bring pink shit that tastes like sprite."

See, for many years when someone said 'zinfandel' they usually meant "white zinfandel', the pink stuff drunk out of plastic cups at college parties by 19 year old girls.

It's wine, but for people who don't like wine. 

But I'm no wine snob. Chilled, it's a perfectly refreshing summer sipper...it's just too sweet for me. 

Anyway, California's 'native' grape is in fact, not. It's Italian! Zinfandel is exactly the same, genetically, as an Italian variety called Primitivo, often found down in Puglia, you know, the heel of the boot, as well as other places like Croatia. Primitivo is usually a bit more rustic than Cali zin. But it's also a good drink and certainly worth checking out.

Real red zinfandel is a great match for BBQ, specifically BBQ sauce. Ideally it's full bodied, fruity, peppery, tannic and high in alcohol. Often 15%.  But as with all wine it comes in many styles and prices, you'll just have to try a few to see what you like best.

Here's a few to get you started:

Ravenswood Vintners Blend $17.95

Hot and fruity. Jam and pepper. Not much character but easily quaffable. Good with many foods. Great with all things BBQ. My wife's standard 'house' wine. 87

Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2007 $19.95

A bit more complex than the Ravenswood. I found it softer, more balanced. 88.

Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin $15.00 

 A simple zin. Easy drinking, sweet and spicy and a bit heady, as zins tend to be. 86

Rancho Zabaco Sonoma Heritage Vines Zinfandel $19.95

Plenty of lush fruit, some herb (thyme, basil/anise?) a bit of black pepper but not as much as I like in my zins. Full bodied and quite soft, but slightly spicy. Plenty of alcohol gives the impression of sweet heat. Good acidity and a mouthful of tannin keeps this from being too flabby. A well balanced, easy to drink zinfandel that will please the crowd at a bbq party. I wouldn't bother cellaring it, as I suspect it may 'devolve' and go from balanced to fat and flabby. Drink now. 89

Vigne & Vini Zinfandel Primitivo Del Salento $14.95

Maybe the most Cali style primitivo i've tried. It's also the first time I've seen "zinfandel" on an italian wine. Obviously made for a north american crowd (and since "Ontario" is on the back of the label probably an lcbo exclusive.) Lightly floral nose, medium bodied, moderately tannic but also quite soft and fruity. Not much acidity which makes it seem perhaps a bit too soft. Drink now. 86.

Ridge Lytton Springs $44.95,  Ridge Geyserville $47.80

 





Top stuff here. Ridge Zinfandels are about as good as they get, and they have price tags to match. I would say that you are paying a $10 premium for the name alone, but these are big, complex wines that will last and evolve for at least a decade in the cellar.