Price: $10
Maker: Ernest & Julio Gallo, Modesto, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.9%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Gallo Sonoma Reserve Zinfandel 2004 is the second of Gallo’s Sonoma Reserve series we’ve tried lately, and we liked this one just about as much as Gallo Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. This Zinfandel has a likable nose of raspberries, spice, and licorice. Its flavor is rounded and fruity, with raspberries and cherries leading the charge, and oak and tannins providing complexity and a fairly long finish. Bold, fruity Zinfandels are one of our favorite categories, and this Gallo wine does a reasonable job of representing that varietal.
We seem to be on a Gallo roll here… we haven’t found many Gallo products we like, but both of the Sonoma Reserve products we’ve tasted lately would be very acceptable at a nice dinner or party. We’ve seen this Zin on sale for well under $10, and at that price it’s real value.