Silver Mountain Vineyards

Winemaker Jerold O’Brien admits he’s a sucker for Zin, always has been. Trouble is, he can’t grow it at his lofty Santa Cruz Mountains vineyard, which overlooks the often fog-infused Monterey Bay. So, he sources fruit from the Mohr-Fry Ranch in Lodi, one of the first to be certified as sustainable. The grapes from these 60 year old vines, planted in deep sandy soil, come from one of the coolest growing areas in the Central Valley. I do two things whenever I see Zin and Lodi on the same label: I flinch and then I immediately look at the alcohol content. Whew. It’s under 16%! Whoopee! I might actually be able to drink the stuff.

This is most certainly a Zin that wears a tie to work. It might not be an Hermes tie, but it is nonetheless, a tie. It’s dark and plummy looking, with aromas of earthy cherries, tobacco, cigars and even pepperoni. I’m liking this already. The flavors are quite delightful, with dark cherries and plums, wrapped with cinnamon, licorice basil, tarragon and a peppered salami finish. In fact, it gets quite peppery on the finish, even a bit smoky, like a good campfire. The texture is nice, and the herbal flavors are such a nice change from the jammy, overripe brambly berries that many Zins exude. Instead, this is a Zin designed to take to dinner: it behaves itself well, can handle spicy foods with aplomb, and would be dynamite with dark chocolate brownies for dessert.

(Alc: 14.6%, Retail: $26)

Reviewed July 20, 2006 by Laura Ness.