Barefoot Zinfandel (Update)
Price: $5
Maker: Barefoot Cellars, Modesto, California
Variety: Zinfandel
Packaging: Bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10
It's been five years since we looked at Barefoot Zinfandel (non-vintage), and it's good to know that not much has changed with this very inexpensive wine. In fact, although it's nominally a $10 wine, we scored this bottle for a mere $5. (The Barefoot Wine website lists it at $6.99.) This incarnation of the Barefoot Zin offered sweet vanilla aromas. It was smooth and soft, with chocolate cherry and blueberry flavors and a spicy finish. This isn't a big, bold, complex Zin, but it's definitely a drinkable red that will please fruit-oriented red drinkers.
Wine bloggers still enjoy this Zin. Cheap Red Wine says, "...good grape juice for wine lovers. That may not sound exciting to everyone, but very few producers seem able to deliver a fresh, tasty, defect-free red in this price range." The Wine Tribune commented, "It’s outstanding for the money. Tasted blind, you’d never guess it costs less than a tenner."
As I noted in my original review of Barefoot Zinfandel, it's not easy to find a quaffable Zin for way under $10 - that field is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Merlot varietals. While not an outstanding example of the varietal, Barefoot Zinfandel is an excellent buy.