Tag: sonoma county

Mother Clone Zinfandel 2015

Pedroncelli Mother Clone ZinfandelPrice: $12.70
Maker: Pedroncelli Winery, Geyserville, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Vintage: 2015
Details: Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
Packaging: 750ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 14.9%
Our Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Purchased at: Costco

Mother Clone Zinfandel from Pedroncelli is an awesome value. It’s a big Zin from start to finish. Big nose, nice fruit blast, oaky finish. This is a wine that, with a little bit of air, is compulsively drinkable. It’s a hefty 14.9% alcohol, but isn’t overly heavy. Disclaimer: I’m partial to big Zins – this is a New World wine and might not appeal to all. Nevertheless, Wine Enthusiast gave Mother Clone a phenomenal 93 points – at under $13! Here’s what Wine Enthusiast had to say: Continue reading “Mother Clone Zinfandel 2015”

Kenwood Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Kenwood Sonoma County Cabernet SauvignonPrice: $11
Maker: Kenwood Vineyards, Sonoma County, California
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Packaging: 750 ml bottle
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.7 out of 10

At a recent stay at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco, I was handed a half-bottle of Kenwood Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 as an amenity of their Joie de Vivre club. It was a screw cap bottle (handy to not have to deal with the whole corkscrew thing if you are handing out bottles of wine to your guests). Although I wasn’t expecting much, this Cab proved to be not only inoffensive but rather tasty. The aroma was of ripe berries with tobacco overtones. It had a fruity raspberry and strawberry flavor, with quite a bit of oak, a hint of chocolate, and robust tannins.

Either the JDV chain got lucky, or they actually put some thought into this selection. This Kenwood Cab is inexpensive, though not in the Two Buck Chuck or Barefoot range. Most importantly, it’s fruity enough to please just about anyone while it sports enough complexity to avoid disaster with a more experienced wine drinker. Plus, it was immediately drinkable, though a little air seemed to bring out more complexity. All in all, it was a very nice welcome to the hotel, and it’s a wine I’ll look for at the wine store.