Again this week I want to introduce you to another good 90-point rated wine that sells for under $20.00. I have a lot more of these little gems for you. I bought this wine at the Chalet Party Shoppe on County Road 17 in Elkhart. Our good friend and wine (expert) consultant Stan Minden is on duty at Chalet most days and would be more than pleased to help you find this wine on their shelves.
The 2014 Decoy Sonoma County Zinfandel is a blended Zin consisting of 91% Zinfandel and 9% Petite Sirah. It was aged for 10 months in French Oak barrels and spent three more months aging in glass before it was released in February of 2016.
As I have said many times before, I am an advocate of trying lots of different wines in order to build your knowledge and enjoyment of wine. Zinfandel is one of the wines I have come to enjoy over the past few years. So much so I have bottled a new Zinfandel blend for my own label. Adler’s Blend will release in the fall of this year. I’ll be introducing you to this special wine in the future.
The 2014 Decoy Sonoma County Zinfandel produced by Duckhorn Wine Company was rated 90/100 points by Wine Spectator magazine in June 2016.
2014 Decoy Sonoma County Zinfandel
The wine was violet in color and relatively tight and stubborn to open out of the bottle. This wine could benefit from a half hour of decanting prior to tasting. Finally after some airing in my wine glass, it opened and produced some nice fruity aromas. On the palate the wine was smooth and full-bodied, offering berry flavors with a reasonable balance between its acidity and tannins. The finish was mildly sweet and a little spicy from the oak aging. The finish and mouth feel were good and of a reasonable length.
This wine would pair well with pizza, roasted lamb, most barbequed meats and certainly chocolate desserts. I would think it will drink well for another 24 to 36 months and I would recommend it for your wine collection.
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Until next week,
Cheers
Calendar of Upcoming Events:
August 1 – Albariño Day
August 14 – International Rosé Day
August 18 – Pinot Noir Day
August 31 – International Cabernet Day (Thursday before Labor Day)
September 15 – International Grenache Day (3rd Friday in September)