2008 Zinfandel Costa County Duarte

The 2008 Zinfandel Duarte Vineyard from the Contra Costa appellation exhibits plenty of loamy soil notes intermixed with sweet kirsch, licorice, and lavender in its Rhone Valley-like personality. It reveals abundant texture, a supple, full-bodied mouthfeel, and a layered finish. Consume it over the next 5-7 years. As I have said many times, the most underrated varietal (especially if you are a connoisseur or collector wanting to age California wines for 10-20 years) is Petite Sirah, which ages just as well as the finest Cabernet Sauvignons. In fact, it ages more slowly, and in 2009, well-cellared examples from the late 1960s and early 1970s continue to be remarkable wines. All of the following wines are noteworthy, and I am sure they will still be drinking beautifully in 25, 35, perhaps even 40 or more years. They need plenty of time to age, and because they have never been fashionable, their prices tend to be realistic. That said, you have to be a masochist to drink these wines young as they are massive, inky/blue/black, super-concentrated offerings that need at least 8-10 years of bottle age. Tel. (707) 963-0940; Fax (707) 963-8683