On Tuesday, March 12th, the Sons of Bacchus (SOB's for short) convened for its monthly blind tasting. The theme was Zinfandel. The line up comprised of younger and older wines: the oldest was a 1993 Ridge Paso Robles and the youngest a 2009 Robert Biale from the Napa Valley. The consensus favorite was the 2006 Rosenblum Dry Creek Valley, Rockpile Vineyard.

My personal preferences were for the younger Zins. My favorites were the 2009 Robert Bialer, R.W. Moore Vineyard and the 2008 Grand Vineyard, both from Napa. The 2008 Garrison Creek from the Walla Walla Valley (Les Collines) also showed well. The 2006 Rosenblum Rockpile was at its peak, confirming my belief that Zinfandels are at their best when about seven or eight years old. A surprising exception was the 1993 Ridge York Creek, Paso Robles, which still showed fruit even though slightly caramelized. The 1997 Turley and was tired, and the 1999 Marinelli on the edge of overmaturity.

At the conclusion of the tasting, I commented that I used to love Zinfandels, especially the Ridge Lytton Springs and Geyserville bottlings, but liked that variety less well now. Kevin Pogue (Whitman geology prof. and Vinterra consultant) asked if this was because my tastes had changed or that the wines had changed. I replied that it was a good question. I concluded that it was my personal preferences. "I'll take a Washington Syrah over a Zin any day," I answered. The tasting was an interesting and revealing exercise, but that's what I came away thinking.