Zinfandel aka Primitivo is a thick skinned red grape variety that produces some of the biggest reds in Western Australia. In southern Italy (mostly Puglia), it also produces reasonably big, dark and flavourful reds. In the USA, it is better known for producing 'blush' wine known as White Zinfandel - so the group was asked not to bring any of these
13 tasters brought a total of 16 wines, so this was a larger than usual tasting. However, this was offset by a couple of duplicates (the same wine brought by two people), with much hilarity ensuing. The wines are tasted blind, and only unmasked after discussion and rating.
Conviviale Primitivo 2019 (Salento, Puglia, Italy): Two bottles of this were tasted (separately) but fortunately (for our credibility!) with similar tasting notes. Dark fruits like blackberries, with some savoury and earthy tones, milk chocolate and one taster got dolmades, while another noted talcum and a third noted sub dried tomatoes. The palate also showed blackcurrant, under-ripe raspberries, slight sourness / stems, tart acid, medium tannins and a moderate length. Most of us picked this as Italian.
Rusden Chookshed Zinfandel 2019 (Barossa Valley, S.A.): Dark chocolate, leather polish, blackcurrant, musk and vanilla on the nose. More dark chocolate, dark berry fruits, raisins, damson plums on the palate along with a little bubblegum. Tannins are soft, alcohol appears quite high, and the wine is juicy and fresh. Full bodied and long finish. Highly regarded by the group.
Don Nicola Zinfandel 2019 (Lecce, Puglia, Italy): Reductive, muted nose, with redcurrant showing slightly. Milk chocolate on the palate, with supporting acid. Finishes a little astringent. We suspect this might be slightly corked, and suffered in comparison with the previous wine.
Mandalay Road Zinfandel 2018 (Geographe, W.A.): Dark chocolate, vanilla and blackcurrant on the nose. Juicy dark fruits on the palate, sour cherry, and bracing acid. Drying tannins, and medium-to full-bodied. Medium finish.
Churchview Zinfandel 2018 (Margaret River, W.A.): Similar to the Rusden Chookshed, with dark chocolate, blackcurrant, vanilla, damson plums, and lifted violets on the nose. Big oak and ripe fruits on the palate – more plums, slippery tannins, and a little porty. Full bodied and long finish and well regarded by the group.
Manoro Primitivo 2018 (Puglia, Italy): Initial meat and bacon fat on the nose, which evolved with time in the glass to show leather, five-spice, menthol and perfume / medicinal characters. Not a lot of discernible fruit. The palate shows grippy tannins, glycerols and good acid, and finishes quite long. One taster considered that this might have received the “Ripasso” treatment (part of the wine fermented on the skins of previously fermented grapes). Well regarded by the group.
Seghesio Zinfandel 2018 (Sonoma, California, U.S.A.): Milk chocolate and vanilla, alongside gooseberry and darker fruits. More vanilla and lots of chocolate on the palate, with drying tannins, medium to high acid, and glycerol texture. Despite these descriptors, the wine shows some elegance, and is not “full throttle”. It is full bodied, however.
Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel 2018 (California, U.S.A.): Initial sulphur on the nose, which blew off to reveal the expected chocolate, vanilla and dark fruits. There’s also cinnamon, cloves and baking spices. More vanilla on the palate, with high cocoa content chocolate, juicy almost jammy fruit, fine integrated tannins, and violets. Medium to long finish.
McHenry Hohnen Zinfandel 2017 (Margaret River, W.A.): Dusty, graphite nose, with blackcurrant, raspberry, cranberry and tobacco. Ripe dark and red fruits on the palate, with sour cherry, drying but integrated tannins, reasonably high acid, and a long finish. Perceived higher alcohol, and a couple of tasters found this to be unbalanced. Generally well regarded by the group, however.
Cape Mentelle Zinfandel 2017 (Margaret River, W.A.): Two bottles of this were tasted, and there were some conflicting opinions. A couple of tasters noted an initial volatility. There’s also some alcohol heat. Raisins, marzipan, yeast / baking spices, red and dark fruits, milk chocolate and dried Italian herbs. Sweet fruitness on the palate (especially red fruits), with dusty grippy tannins, a little glycerol, slightly sharp acid, some savoury notes. Not a long finish. Generally well regarded, despite the contradictions.
Hentley Farm Zinfandel 2016 (Barossa Valley, S.A.): Light stemmy nose, with red fruits (especially raspberry) and prunes. The front palate showed more of the red fruits. There are fine stalky tannins, freshening acid, and the wine is only just medium bodied with a short finish. A couple of tasters considered that this wine had gone through (at least partial) carbonic maceration.
Watershed Senses Zinfandel 2010 (Margaret River, W.A): Initially burnt orange and tobacco on the nose, along with dark chocolate, Christmas pudding, raisins, and treacle. More chocolate on the palate, with vanilla,, good supporting acid, and high alcohol. Despite this, the wine is very well balanced, full bodied and superb length. At its peak.
Zinful Zinfandel 2010 (Margaret River, W.A): Savoury notes over dark and red fruits, some mulberry and bacon fat. The palate shows milk chocolate, red fruit, dark plums, Terry’s orange chocolate, and soft acid. There are mildly grippy tannins, and the wine is medium bodied with a short finish. Not likely to improve.
Peel Estate Zinfandel 2005 (Geographe, W.A.): A big nose, with Christmas pudding, rum’n’raisin chocolate, coconut, star anise and licorice. There’s more chocolate and Christmas cake on the nose, with vanilla, raisins and brandy. At 17 year of age, there’s still primary fruit. It’s big and porty, and highly regarded by the group.
This was a comprehensive tasting, with wines from three continents. It is apparent from the notes that the group favours the bigger, riper styles, and the Italian wines may have suffered as a result. The wine of the night was the Peel Estate Zinfandel 2005, with well over 50% of the vote.
Cheers
Allan