McNab Ridge Winery

John Parducci purchased the McNab Ranch in 1999, leaving his family’s namesake winery in Mendocino and bringing in his grandson Rich, who has a winemaking degree from California State University at Fresno. John hunted deer, turkey and wild boar on the ranch as a child, so when the property became available he jumped at the chance to venture out on his own.

With a brash, comic-book like label, and literally monstrous name, this wine should appeal to those fatigued by highbrow wine society. As brash as the packaging, this wine is bright, opaque ruby, and very viscous, with aromas of boysenberry, rhubarb, barnyard, green grass, meadow, and lilac. High in alcohol, this sweet raspberry-cassis infusion is floral, creamy, round, and very rich on the palate.

The winery website has a great recipe for blue cheese Zinfandel burgers, which call for a cup of this Zin in two pounds of ground beef. The wine would also be delicious with Philly cheese steak, skirt steaks with chipotle tomato sauce, or spit roasted leg of lamb with garlic fries.

Reviewed April 23, 2007 by Catherine Fallis.