Jeff Runquist Wines

Ranking in my top 5 local wineries, Jeff Runquist Wines are amazing. I will caveat that with, you must be a zin lover to really appreciate his wines. Jeff Runquist is an Artisan, working for a larger winery, his private label is more of an art to him, and if he is not happy with the end result - well he won't put his name on it. This small winery produces less than 5,000 cases of wine per year. You will find them under two lables, either R or Z. Where to begin with this one...I loved the 2006 Z, a Zin with a nice balance of jam, earth and spice. My wife, on the other hand, enjoyed the 2007 R (I am guessing on the year but pretty sure it was 2007). This was a nice zin, which I enjoyed, however it lacked some of the spice making it a bit smoother Zin, which is what my wife enjoys. We were also both surprised, as Pop Runquist poured us one after another, with the 2006 Pinot Noir. A blind tasting, I thought this was closer to a zin than a Pinot, a nice one to try. Check out their website to learn more - http://www.jeffrunquistwines.com/

Trinitas Cellars - 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel

A must try and a good price. This Zin is produced from nearly 100 year old vines located in Oakley, CA (Contra Costa County). A blend of 87% Zin, 8% Petite Sirah, 4% Mataro and 1% Alicante Bouschet produces this rich zin, with a fairly complex raspberry, blackberry, and pepper tone. Per their website, Trinitas (http://www.trinitascellars.com/) is Latin for Trinity the fundamental principle of Christianity and also symbolizes Sun, Soil & Humanity. I was able to find the 2002 and 2003 variety at BevMo for $17 & $18. You can find the 2006 on the Trinitas Cellars website for $18. Give this one a try, you will enjoy it.

Peju - 2003 Cab

If you haven't had a chance, I recommend trying Peju Winery...this family owned, boutique winery in the Rutherford area of Napa produces a very nice Cab, along with a zin and their Provence which is a nice every day wine.
We opened a 2003 Cab this weekend with our friends for an early Thanksgiving dinner. The 2003 Cab is a library wine, currently on Peju's website at $65/bottle (although it is sold out). The website describes this wine as having aromas of bing cherry, vanilla, clove, blackberry, black pepper, creme de cassis, toast, roasted coffee, fresh herbs and green olive. big, rich and round on the palate, displaying flavors of black cherry accented with toast and campfire notes.
This was a smooth cab that was full of flavor. Put this on your list of wines to try.
If you are in Napa, this is also a nice winery to visit. They have a beautiful tasting room and an area to enjoy a picnic. For more on Peju, visit their website at http://www.peju.com/.

Castle Vineyards - 2003 Zinfandel

Castle Vineyards is located in the town of Sonoma, CA. The winery is a small boutique winery. I received this bottle more than a year ago through a wine club. The wine was pale in color compared to most Zin's. There was no definition in flavors. Just a bland red wine. I was not impressed. This may work in a pinch for cooking wine, but not worth drinking at roughly $20. Go on to the next bottle.

Tres Sabores Winery - Porque No?

Tres Sabores is a Napa winery located out of Rutherford, CA. They have a nice red wine called Porque No? This was a complex, spicy and heavier zinfandel blend. Consists of mostly zin with cab, petit verdot and petit syrah. The first smell of this wine showed its complexity. First sip was nice, but unsure. Second sip was better and required more. This one got better with each sip. Cost is approximately $20 and worth it if you enjoy a complex Zinfandel. This one is worth trying.

Frank Family Vineyards

My wife and I are big fans of Frank Family Vineyards (http://www.frankfamilyvineyards.com/). This winery is the last of the old style Napa wineries, where you can enjoy free wine tasting of their entire lineup, and enjoy great conversation with the family. Rich Frank is an ex-Disney Executive who connected with the Rombauer family to start Frank Family Vineyards. Frank Family has been on their own now for several years and creating wonderful wines.

Our favorites include the 2006 Chardonnay and the 2004 Zinfandel (if you can find it, otherwise the 2006 is available and a nice Zin).

The 2006 Frank Family Chardonnay is a light, buttery Chardonnay with a smooth finish. Frank Family suggests serving this Chardonnay at room temperature as it stands on its own. They suggest chilling a white wine is a way to hide its flaws...and I highly recommend listening to them on this one. I have served this wine to many people at room temperature, and they have all loved it. A bit pricey, but worth the money at $32 a bottle. Check their website to find out where you buy this as they have limited distribution.

The 2004 Zinfandel, and their Zin in general, is a full bodied Zin, rich and dark in color. Frank Family describes it as leading with a sweet blackberry jam and finishing with hints of white and black pepper and clove spice. This is a great wine to serve with your upcoming Thanksgiving Turkey. Price is roughly $37 a bottle, and worth it.

Silver Fox 2002 Zinfandel

We opened a bottle of Silver Fox ( http://www.silverfoxwine.com/Index.html ) this past weekend. Silver Fox is located near Yosemite at an elevation of 3,000 ft. We enjoyed the 2002 Zinfandel which is a blend of mostly Zin with a bit of Syrah. The wine had a nice berry taste and spicy finish. We enjoyed this while camping and eating BBQ Tri Tip…it went well together. I don’t know where I got this bottle, but I see it online for $11 at the winery. Well worth the $. I would encourage you to let this breathe for 20-30 minutes before drinking, as the first taste hit me a bit hard, but it really opened up after a short time. We had a bit left over the next day, and it was not as good, so drink this one in one sitting.