Renwood 2000 Old Vine Zinfandel - Wine Review
June 3, 2008
I recently picked up a Renwood 2000 Old Vine Zinfandel and last night I had my way with it, all of it. Gone. I have to say it was pretty good. It definitely has an intense taste of what can be described as a rich dark chocolate along with dark cherry. This wine has nice slick almost velvety feel in the mouth and combined with a lush tinge of an alcoholic aroma makes the wine burst with flavor. After you are content with a couple glasses, the finish of the wine lasts for a good while hints of dark cherry and blackberry linger in your mouth. Definitely one of the better ones I have had in my time and if you are lucky enough to come across a bottle, I recommend you pick it up. Cheers!!
Notes on the Vinters website has about this wine:
I did some searching online and because this was an older bottle, I was not able to find any specific notes for this vintage. However, the Renwood Old Vine Zinfandels are noted for have a bouquet that consists of cranberry, allspice, nutmeg and blackberry. Also, The flavor has been described as a ripe berry fruit followed by a mix of holiday spices while finishing with chalky tannins and vanilla bean from the oak that it is aged in.
Wine Region: Amador County
Type of Wine: Red
Grape Type: Zinfandel
Country Where Produced: U.S. - California
Cost to You: $20
Rating: 4 out of 5
Unctuous Wine
March 27, 2008
A quick question that’s been on my mind since lunch - I over heard a sommelier describing what he said was an unctuous wine. What did he mean by that? - Brandy in Frankfort, IN
So you want to know what unctuous wine is? Pretty easy wine tasting term to describe really, and you seem smart enough to ask before forming an opinion about something.
Mostly the term is used in a positive manner to describe a mellow wine that takes on the soft and full character from the residual sugar left over of the wine fermentation process. However, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. Sometimes unctuous wine can be perceived as heavy, or even oily.
Very simply, this term can point towards a range of experiences from a rich and full texture to soft tannins that will take your tongue on a deep and interesting trip. But then again, you were very nosey to have even have heard about this term by listening to other peoples conversations… Tell me what else are you curious about? Cheers!!
Refrigerate Red Wine Safe?
March 14, 2008
Can you refrigerate red wine? - Gary in Omaha, NB
Yes you can Gary and it’s even best to refrigerate red wine before you begin drinking it. To really enjoy your bottle, most red wines should be at served close to room temperature 55 to 65ºF which translates to about 30 minutes in the fridge. The caveat is that the red wines that are high in tannins and full bodied reds need warmer temperatures that help to soften these tannins and develop the flavor and aromas.
But again, lighter bodied reds are enjoyed better at slightly lower temperatures. You see, the slightly colder temperature slows the evaporation of alcohol, improving the it overall and making the wine smoother. Don’t over chill red wine as this will make the tannins in the wine taste rough and bitter.
The quickest way to chill red wine is in an ice bath. Now if you aren’t quite up to the task of being a complete lush one night and just can’t finish that opened red wine. It’s perfectly fine to refrigerate red wine after opening for a couple of days and this will give you a bit more time to drink it.
The worst thing a fledgling wino such as yourself could do is waste a bottle of wine. So keep that in mind and do not disappoint the Wine Virgin with such sacrilege!! I just might have to get the whip.
Truth About Wine Tannins
March 6, 2008
Are wine tannins responsible for the puckard sensation you get from drinking really strong red wine? - Neve in St. George, UT
Wine tannins are a natural chemical that can be found in the stems and leaves of some fruits and yes, in particular some red wine grapes. Having a lot of tannins in wine can make it pretty difficult to drink. For this reason, some wines are typically held in a wine cellar until they mature unless you enjoy robbing the cradle of course.
During the aging process, the tannins break down and as a result of this process the flavor evolves from harsh to mellow and complex. This does not happen with all wines however. If a wine is merely tannic without a taste of fruit in its youth, it isn’t likely to become a thing of beauty with age. Balance is the key.
Modern wine makers do their best to minimize as much as possible the inclusion of tannins from the seeds by carefully crushing the grapes when extracting the juice. Pressing the grapes further results in press wine which is more tannic and is usually kept separately.
Also, it is possible that tannins in wine can occur from maturing it in oak or other types of wood casks that have a high tannin content. Yet tannins are not completely bad due to the protective function they yield by keeping oxidation from happening as a wine ages.
Since it’s obvious that you have a keen desire to “rob the cradle,” as winos such as myself say of drinking a young wine before its ready, this is the one case in which decanting wine and allowing it to aerate may help in softening the rough edges. Cheers!!
Why Choose White Wine vs Red Wine
February 21, 2008
Ok our first question has come in from our new friend Tom in Arizona he writes - “Hey Wine Virgin, cool site! I was just wondering why people always say order white wine with chicken and fish or say red wine with beef or lamb. I really don’t care much for red wines myself but I do like a good steak. Am I missing out by drinking chardonnay with a T-Bone”.
Great first question Tom because I know many people wonder the same thing. The first answer to this question is simply hell no it doesn’t matter, drink what you like, eat what you like and have fun doing it.
Now the other side of it. There is a reason that people suggest things like white wine with light pasta or fish and say a nice Cabernet Saviougon with that big beefy T-bone of yours. It is really all about having flavors that can compliment and stand up to each other. Many wine drinkers simply feel that a light white wine is kind of buried by a steak or say a big bold red just over powers a wimpy little chicken breast.
There is some truth to this and many folks like you good sir that “don’t like red wines” will find that they do if they pair it with a steak or lamb, etc. The key is often to eat a bit of your steak first, there are tannins in red wine and they are broken down by the fat in beef and lamb and softened. Give it a try sometime you just might have yet another wonderful first time experience.