Box Wines
A wine blog with news and reviews of affordable wines

Price: $9
Maker: F. Giordano S.p.A., Diano d’Alba, Italy
Varietal: Zinfandel (Primitivo)
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 14%
Our Rating: 8 out of 10

Eventus Zinfandel Primitivo 2005 is the second Eventus product we’ve tried, and like its sibling, Eventus Pinot Rose, it’s a simple but pleasing wine. Although the winery’s website shows the label as just “Primitivo,” they note that it’s identical to the American Zinfandel grape. The bottles distributed in the US use both varietals. The nose of this Zin is strong and enticing, mostly berries with some woodiness. The flavor is all blackberries and cherries, with a bit of oak and a lengthy finish. There’s an acidic quality that adds some bite, but not in a bad way. We paired it with juicy T-bones right off the grill, and it was a winning combination.

The Eventus line of wines is nicely packaged - the bottles are slightly frosted to provide a matte finish and they have a deeply embossed circle where the vintage label is applied. The labeling has a metallic foil look, and overall the look is contemporary and elegant. We’ve enjoyed the Pinot Rose and Zinfandel/Primitivo - both of these were simple, fun wines. There are a total of eight varietals in the Eventus series, though we haven’t seen all of them in local distribution.

Price: $6
Maker: Trader Moon Wine Co., Manteca, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 14.5%
Our Rating: 7.5 out of 10

We suspected that Old Moon Old Vine Zinfandel 2005 was related to the makers of Purple Moon Shiraz - the winery names differ, but both are in Manteca, California. Both came from Trader Joe’s, and the “Trader Moon” designation on this one seems like an additional tipoff. This Zin was our first disappointment from our case of inexpensive reds from Trader Joe’s. The nose was fine, with spice and raspberries. The flavor seemed overly plummy, with a bit of spice and a rather weak finish. I expected a bigger wine from a 14.5% alcohol Zin, particularly one designated as being from “old vines.” This Zin didn’t offer the complexity or flavor intensity that one would like from an old vine Zin.

Looking around the Web, it seems that the 2003 vintage was a lot better. The World Wine Weblog found it to be a great, inexpensive Zin. Commenters on that post liked it to, until Jaime M tried the 2005 and found it mediocre. The Seattle Wine Blogger, though, found Old Moon Zinfandel 2005 to be a phenomenal bargain, finding the nose to be particularly appealing:

The wine has an amazing Zin nose of raspberries and spice with hints of vanilla, tobacco, pine and eucalyptus. The aromas virtually jump out of the glass at you…

Overall, Web opinions were mixed on this one, even the 2005. For six bucks, who knows… try it, you might get lucky.

Price: $8
Maker: Blackstone Winery, Woodridge, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Blackstone Zinfandel 2005 is a pleasant Zin after it has had plenty of time to breathe. Its nose has spice, smoke, and leather notes. It’s a medium-bodied wine, leading with juicy currant and plum notes into a powerful, spicy finish. Do not forget to give this wine plenty of air - our first sips were quite discouraging, but it turned into a very likable wine.

Though labeled as a Zinfandel, there are quite a few different grapes making cameo appearances in this wine - it is composed of:

76 % Zinfandel
8 % Syrah
6 % Merlot
4 % Petite Sirah
2 % Cabernet Franc
2 % Malbec
2 % Barbera

According to the Blackstone Winery website,

Our Winemaker Select wines are fruit-forward, easy to drink, and food-friendly - perfect for everyday celebrations. The cornerstone of this portfolio is Blackstone’s California Merlot, the number-one-selling domestic red wine in the United States at any price.

Can that really be true? I haven’t seen a strong retal presence in my area, and it’s hard to believe that it outsells Two Buck Chuck. This IS a nicer red than Charles Shaw wines, though, and I wouldn’t hesitate to serve it for company.

Price: $6
Maker: Accents Vineyards, Modesto, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 14.3%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Falcon Ridge Lodi Zinfandel 2004 is one of the least expensive Zins we’ve run across (from Trader Joe’s, of course), and it’s not half bad. It’s definitely a wine that needs to breathe. Even after sitting in the glass for a bit, it seems rather thin and bland. It improved with time, though. In fact, we inadvertently left the bottle uncorked for quite about eight hours. Rather than being ruined, it had improved. I wouldn’t actually recommend leaving this Zin open on the counter overnight, but plan on decanting and/or extended breathing period. When we resampled the wine, we found spicy berries in the nose. We were surprised that the wine had become very juicy at the start, with cherries, strawberries, and a hint of chocolate. This segued into a spicy, slightly oaky finish. This Zin, considering its price, was reasonably complex and balanced. It’s not an outstanding Zin, but certainly one of the few very drinkable ones available for $6.

Looking around the blogosphere, we founds a few opinions. Quaffability thought, “not bad at all at this price, yet somehow vaguely disappointing.” Wine for Real People said the Falcon Ridge Zin said, “while smooth and drinkable, [it] was a little muted.” Like some other Trader Joe’s wine suppliers, Accents Vineyards seems to have no web presence, or at least one that’s findable by a good effort on Google. That’s too bad - for the minimal cost of a website, I’m sure the Falcon Ridge brand could be enhanced.

And don’t forget to give this one some air - we would have rated Falcon Ridge Lodi Zinfandel 2004 a full point lower had we not gotten past our initial tasting!

Price: $6
Maker: Black Mountain Vineyard, Napa, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 12.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Black Mountain Vineyard Zinfandel 2005 (Cramer Ridge) is yet another find from my recent Trader Joe’s visit. And, like the other purchase so far, this one was a good find and a nice value. This may not be the biggest and boldest of Zins, but it’s certainly pleasant enough. It has a spicy, smoky nose. It’s medium bodied, and starts with plum and cherry notes, which segue into a brief, moderately spicy finish. There’s not a lot of complexity, but this Zin is well balanced and highly drinkable. Consider it a “crowd pleaser.”

We’d pair this wine with pizza or burgers - it’s a very accessible wine, and would make a good inexpensive party wine as well. We couldn’t find out anything about Black Mountain Vineyard on the Web. If you’ve got a link, feel free to post it.

Price: $10
Maker: Peachy Canyon, Paso Robles, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.9%
Our Rating: 8 out of 10

Peachy Canyon Paso Robles Zinfandel 2005 - “Incredible Red” - is a simple crowd-pleasing red wine. It’s aroma is berries and more berries. The flavor has tart cherry and blackberry notes, with some oak and mild acidity in the finish. It’s medium bodied, and not really a big, complex Zin. Despite that, its fruit-forward nature will appeal to many, and we think it’s a nice selection for a picnic or outdoor party.

The winemaker says,

Even though the Incredible Red has grown in production, I still make it with the same ideas and style as our smaller Zinfandel lots. The 2005 vintage is very exciting and youthful. This wine has a medium body with the same light tannins. The visual presence is a beautiful crisp ruby color. Aromas consist of sweet cherries, blackberries & raspberries. There are nice black currant flavors along with brambly briery fruit. Enjoy this everyday Zinfandel throughout the next few years.

The blogosphere has mixed opinions. Quaffability thought the wine was “light and agreeably fruity, but also shows some plonky vegetative notes…” Ken’s Wine Guide scored the wine as 85.5, and thought Peachy Canyon Incredible Red was a “good value for those looking for a practical red wine choice.” Budget Vino proclaimed it “a Zin for all occasions,” noting that despite being “thin,” it was also more versatile than many Zins. The Vintner’s Daughter thought the Peachy Canyon Zinfandel was, “exactly what I needed to remind me how much I love Zins.”

Clearly, this is a wine that evokes subjective responses - try Peachy Canyon Incredible Red Zinfandel 2005, and let us know what YOU think!

Price: $8
Maker: Rancho Zabaco Winery, Healdsburg, California
Variety: Zinfandel
Packaging: Bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.9%
Our Rating: 8 out of 10

When we picked up a bottle of Dancing Bull Zinfandel 2005, we noticed some subtle changes. Since we last tried Rancho Zabaco Dancing Bull Zinfandel 2004, it seems the winery is shifting its brand emphasis. The “Rancho Zabaco” name is gone from the label, and even the website has shifted - it’s now dancingbullwines.com. Even the wine seems to have changed. The spicy, earthy aroma is still there, but this Zin was dominated by juicy raspberry and cherry notes, with mild spice and soft tannins. The 2005 is much fruitier than the 2004. Breathing toned down the fruit a bit, and added a bit more balance. Overall, this is a very approachable and drinkable wine, though it isn’t the kind of big, complex Zinfandel that lovers of that varietal might prefer.

The new Dancing Bull website is notable for its main feature, The Guy’s Guide to Wine. This is a Flash “booklet” that covers a variety of wine topics, ranging from food pairings to how to store wine. The site, unfortunately, lacks much information about the winery. The Vinicode blog tasted Dancing Bull Zinfandel 2005, and two out of the three tasters like it: “As for the taste, I liked what I believed to be a nice earthy quality. But the aftertaste did have a kool-aid kind of quality to it.” The third didn’t like it at all. Most of the other blog comments we found seemed to be for earlier years. If your tastes lean toward the fruity/juicy, try this Zin and see whom YOU agree with.

Price: $14
Maker: Francis Coppola Diamond Collection, Oakville, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Zinfandel 2004 has tempted us from the wine shop shelf for a while, and we finally broke down and tried a bottle. We weren’t disappointed. The aroma is mostly spice and berries, with a bit of vanilla. This Zin is medium bodied, with a bold fruity flavor. Cherry dominates, with plum and chocolate adding interest. The flavor is smooth, rounded, and fruity, with just enough tannins to keep it from being boring; they add a little bite in the finish, along with a tiny bit of oak. This wine is not huge, highly complex, or heavy in alcohol content - it’s just a very pleasing and accessible Zinfandel.

The Francis Coppola website says, “Sourced from old vines in Amador County and cooler vineyards in Paso Robles and Sonoma County, our Red Label Zinfandel has exceptional depth and complexity. Petite Sirah is blended in to further enhance the luscious strawberry jam, cassis, and briar flavors that follow its perfume of dark fruit, sweet spices and toasty vanilla.”

Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Zinfandel 2004 is an ideal choice for entertaining or gifting - a very accessible wine combined with a celebrity label, the perfect combination.

Price: $7
Maker: 3 Loose Screws, Napa, California
Variety: Zinfandel
Packaging: Bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Pepperwood Grove Old Vine Zinfandel 2005 is a steal at 7 bucks or so if you are inclined toward a fruity Zin. The bottle has a clean, contemporary design, and the artificial cork is a brilliant white in color. This wine’s nose isn’t exceptional, with mild spice, dark berry, and smoke notes. On the palate, though, it starts with a big blast of cherry that morphs into a finish that balances oak, spice, and tannins nicely. This Zin isn’t huge, and it’s not extremely complex. It’s not a high alcohol Zin either, weighing in at 13.5%. But at a price that’s well under $10, it’s a very pleasing red that will satisfy a wide range of wine drinkers. (Let it breathe for a few minutes, though - we saw a big change for the better after it got some oxygen.)

Pepperwood Grove is a brand of 3 Loose Screws, which is a division of Don Sebastiani & Sons. They also produce mass-distributed Smoking Loon wines, along with various less common brands like Used Automobile Parts. Their website suggests pairing Pepperwood Grove Old Vine Zinfandel with wild boar. We didn’t happen to have any wild boar cutlets in the freezer, but this is a wine that will pair well with beef, pork, or game, not to mention being fine to drink by itself.

Price: $13
Maker: Artezin Wines, Napa, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 14.5%
Our Rating: 9 out of 10

Artezin 2004 Zinfandel is our kind of wine. We admit to being prejudiced toward big, bold Zins, and Artezin is one. The nose is nice but unexceptional, mostly the expected berries and spice. On the palate, though, this wine is smooth, rich, and deep… jammy plum, cherry, and blackberry combine with black pepper, woody notes, and soft tannins to produce surprising complexity and a lengthy finish. There’s a hint of fruity sweetness, though no more so than for a typical Zin.

Artezin Wines is part of the Hess Group - they have a limited range of wines, just making Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, and Carignan. This particular Zinfandel has grapes from Mendocino County (58%), Sonoma County (25%), and Amador County(17%).

The WineAss blog wasn’t nearly as impressed, scoring it a mere 3 out of 5 and summarizing, “Art is Out.” The Sacramento Bee commented, “the Artezin went well with the tri-tip not so much for its juicy fruit, which it did have, but for its solid structure and its ample weight, all of which danced gracefully with the richness of the beef. On its own, the wine, which includes 6 percent petite sirah, carries a note of white and black pepper to spice up its gentle blackberry and raspberry fruitiness.” Bigger Than Your Head called Artezin a cheapie that “should satisfy just about any palate.”

Artezin certainly satisfied OUR palate. If you like big, smooths Zins, give Artezin 2004 a try.