2009 Foxglove Zinfandel

1058015x_2The Foxglove Zinfandel is 94% Zinfandel and 6% Petit Syrah sourced from the Dos Ninos and the Hog Canyon vineyards in the Paso Robles AVA of California. Foxglove is the entry level label for Bob and Jim Varner, who are very well known for their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks with a small amount of Nadalie oak used in the vats. Nadalie oak is a system of oak cubes or staves that are custom toasted to give the wine the desired oak flavor profile, with little of the aging properties, but at a fraction of the cost of oak barrels. The alcohol content is 14.7%.

The color is a rusty red. The nose is fresh strawberry, plum and a touch of cocoa powder. It tastes of tart cherries, bitter dark chocolate and a slight touch of pepper. The mid-palate brings sweet strawberry, vanilla and a late slap of spice. The tannins add to the structure, you can feel them but you can’t taste them. The finish is subtle and lengthy.

The Foxglove Zinfandel is a balanced, bright, almost elegant Zin. It should sell for around 13 bucks, which is an extremely fair price for a Zinfandel of this quality. The Foxglove has enough flavor and structure to pair with most roasts or steaks and drinks extremely all by itself.

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Don’t tell anyone, but there is absolutely no correlation between the cost of wine and the quality of wine.

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