Two Distinctive Offerings from Napa Valley

If Zinfandel is not at the top of your list of California reds – too overpowering, too alcoholic, perhaps? – Grgich Hills’s latest release may well change your thinking, as it did mine. The famed winery’s 2001 Napa Valley Zinfandel is a model for what a mid-priced Zin can (and should) be.First, there is the intense and beautiful fruit that forms the backbone of this $29 wine, yielding dark berry and clove aromas and tastes of blackberry, blueberry, and plum. There is an attractive cedar element, which comes from a year of aging in 2- to 3-year-old American and French oak barrels, in contrast to new oak, which can impart stronger and sometimes overbearing tastes.The wine’s hallmark is its balance, with each voice in the mix heard clearly, as in a well-conducted orchestra. Key to this is a surprisingly pronounced acidity that is often lacking in “big” Zins. Although the wine has 14.8% alcohol, the acid brings balance to the fruit and alcohol, resulting not in a lean wine by any stretch, but in a concentrated yet pretty one, which is not how I would describe many Zinfandels.The acidity, by the way, comes from the fact some of the grapes are harvested just before full ripeness, but not enough to give the wine a green or overly acidic taste.Though a little young right now, this is Zinfandel the way I like it and is all but irresistible. The estate-grown fruit will continue to emerge while the tannins settle over the next year or so. I liked finding some sediment in the bottle – evidence of only minimal filtering, which helps retain flavor. The wine went nicely with grilled pork chops in a red wine sauce and will work well with all kinds of meats.Also worth considering is Grgich Hills’ 2003 “Estate Grown” Fume Blanc, a not inexpensive $24 Sauvignon Blanc that also bears a distinctive Grgich style. The aromas and tastes include gooseberry, pineapple, lime, and grapefruit with a vanilla accent from five months of aging in oak. There are those who believe oak has no business in Sauvignon, but I like the touch here. Some minerals are also present in the very long finish. The wine has typical Sauvignon qualities and is not unlike some from New Zealand, but it’s the subtle use of wood here that sets it apart with a refined elegance and richness, which, as these wines have reminded me, is what Grgich Hills is all about.

Two Distinctive Offerings from Napa Valley

Two Distinctive Offerings from Napa Valley

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