Taste: Day of opening 2/day 2-4 rated 5Value: 4/5
Price: $15
I did not know when I purchased this, that Napa Cellars is a daughter winery of Frank Family! Frank Family makes one of my absolute favorite Chardonnay's, but it's a total splurge wine for me.
About this wine: Much of the fruit for this wine was sourced from the warmer regions of Napa Valley, including Calistoga, St. Helena and Pope Valley. In 2005, the long growing season and moderate harvest allowed the grapes to hang on the vine for longer than usual. In some cases the grapes were not picked until the second week of November. Because Zinfandel ripens unevenly, the extended hang time was a blessing and helped develop the intense fruit characteristics seen in this wine. The Napa Cellars 2005 Zinfandel was tank fermented in separate lots for approximately 10 days. The lots were then separately aged in French and American oak where after eight months, they were blended together for the final blend and aged an additional ten months. In order to retain the big fruit characteristics, only 7% new oak was used. Zinfandel is usually a wine that is ready on release and the Napa Cellars 2005 Zinfandel is no exception. Napa Cellars 2005 Zinfandel is dark purple and opaque in the glass. The nose reveals intense, ripe berries, candied strawberry preserves and cinnamon spice. The palate follows with juicy, rounded fruit flavors that mingle with layers of warm, supple tannins leading to a long, plush finish.
When I first opened this wine, even though I allowed it to breath for about 30 min before pouring, I was blown over by the alcohol fumes and taste. It is a higher alcohol wine at 15%. Not only did I determine I wouldn't buy this wine again, but I wasn't sure I'd even finish the bottle. Well, the next night, it was incredibly better and I enjoyed the extra zing it left on my tongue. So, I would buy it again, but I would open it the day before I plan to drink it, knowing it gets better over the next few days. I still, however, prefer Old Vine Zins for a comparable price.
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