Sphere Lodi Zinfandel 2012

CheapWineFinder Podcast
CheapWineFinder Podcast
Sphere Lodi Zinfandel 2012
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sphere_lodi_zinfandel_2012The Sphere Lodi Zinfandel 2012 is a Trader Joe’s $5.99 exclusive. TJ’s says the grapes came “from a premium winemaker’s vineyards in Lodi“, which makes the Sphere an estate grown, single AVA, 6 buck California wine, that is something you do not see very often. There is a top-notch Lodi winery that produces a line of wines for Trader Joe’s, I do not know if the Sphere Zin comes from their grapes, but their own Lodi Zinfandel sells in the $18-$20 range. The 2012 grape vintage produced an abundance of quality grapes, it was the best harvest in several years, so good grapes where available for negociants, like Trader Joe’s. All in all, this is a very promising $5.99 wine. The alcohol content is 13%.

The color is a very dark, but crystal clear black cherry red. The nose is ripe blackberry, strawberry, a little black pepper and chocolate. This is a well-balanced Zinfandel, with good length and interesting sub-flavors. It starts with extracted blackberry and softer plum, curry spice, pepper straight from the mill, licorice, raspberry with baking spices and orange zest. Well, I wasn’t expecting that, this is a long, lean, but still bold Zinfandel made for food pairings. The spice side of things is stronger than the fruit side, so it is not necessarily a back porch sipping wine, this is a Zin that will find its balance with a plate of Spanish cheese or Firecracker shrimp. The finish starts off strong, then slowly fades away.

There was a time when inexpensive Zinfandel was big, brash, fruit forward and bold, but not complex wine, great for a slab of ribs, but not particularly versatile. The Sphere Lodi Zinfandel 2012 is structured and nuanced, full of flavor, but still in control. This is a challenging wine, the spice and the pepper may be too much for some people, but if you can match it with the right meal, say a pepper crusted pork loin, you are in for a treat. The Sphere Zin is a serious, nuanced 6 buck wine, imagine that.

See also  Pichilemu Sauvignon Blanc 2020

 

 

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

4 comments on “Sphere Lodi Zinfandel 2012

  1. mary dufrane mashek says:

    When Wil sphere Zinfindel be back at trader joes

  2. Jane says:

    Yes, When! I really miss that wine! So good! Thanks TJ for finding it. Please bring it back!

  3. mara pj says:

    SO DO I I hope T J will have it again

  4. Kat says:

    Yes! I bought a case of this when I found out it was on its last shipment. I have 2 bottles left which I am saving. For Myself. SINCE it’s been almost a year since they’ve had it! I saw the Sphere Pinot Noir last week, but am confused as to why they are getting that from Sphere (Which they never had before) instead of just bringing back what they KNOW we want!

    This Zinfandel is very smokey. If a Islay scotch was a wine, it would be this. I Heart it.

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