Price: $10
Maker: Cartlidge & Browne Winery, American Canyon, California
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Packaging: 750 ml bottle
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10
We found Cartlidge & Browne Zinfandel 2005 as a special at the local Houlihan’s, the casual dining restaurant that seems to work a bit harder at their wines and beers than others in that space. They served the Zin in a oversized glass with a generous pour – there was still plenty of air space to appreciate the wine’s nose. That nose was rich with cherry and pepper notes. The wine had a big, fruity flavor. There were strong cherry and blackberry notes that led in to an oaky, spicy finish. Overall, Cartlidge & Browne Zinfandel 2005 is what you expect from a relatively inexpensive California Zin – lots of fruit up front, and a moderately complex finish.
We haven’t noticed Cartlidge & Browne Zinfandel, or any of their other varietals, in our local shops. We’re going to keep our eyes open – we liked this one well enough to try some others. In addition to the wines sold with the the Cartlidge & Browne label, they have several other lines – one that looks interesting is their Rabid Red blend.