This is not a Zinfandel for fans of the currently pervasive big, bruising style. Instead, it harkens back to a couple of decades ago, when the best Zin producers aimed to make wines in a “claret” style. Those wines were bright rather than brawny, and above all graceful. They retained the variety’s characteristic briary spiciness, but kept it in check, and so tasted truly compelling. This particular example may not be as complex as the best from producers like Ridge or Raffanelli back then, but it is very tasty, and sports a more than fair price tag.
