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.
I’ve never tried the Zin, but I do love the merlot. I’ll definitely give this one a try.
Hi. We at Sad Drunk,and Hungry (visit us) have been drinking the Pepperwood Zin and a couple of other Pepperwood cheapies lately, and are liking them quite well. We can get them on sale at Surdyk’s (Minneapolis) for $6 and change. I had the Zin with sausage and kraut recently. Good. Have linked my blog to yours. Flan
Can’t beat the price for a nice, drinkable old vine Zin. Nice blog, Flan, I hope the “sad” part isn’t a lasting condition. Perhaps a nice glass of wine would cheer things up a bit. 🙂