I picked up two Zinfandels for Wine Club at the Premier Group in NY State on my vacation. I bought a case of 2008 Sobon Hillside Zinfandel and a single bottle of 2007 Four Vines Zinfandel. The Sobon was to be the ‘take home’ bottle for Wine Club and the Four Vines was just for the tasting as a comparison bottle.
The 2008 Sobon Hillside Zinfandel was on special for $12.99 US a bottle (about $21 or so CDN after duty, taxes and exchange) and the 2007 Four Vines was $11.99 US a bottle.
As I poured out both wines it was like a fruit explosion; fresh strawberry aroma for the Sobon and blueberry for the Four Vines. As the wine sat for a few minutes, the strawberry aroma for the Sobon shifted and raspberry was more noticeable. Both wines also had an eucalyptus aroma to them as well.
I tasted the Four Vines first and found it very fruit forward and easy drinking but noticed that the tannin and the acidity seemed very low. The Sobon wasn’t as fruit forward but the acidity and tannin in this one was much more apparent. Tasting both wines before having any food, the crowd favourite was the Four Vines by a wide margin.
Kim, one of our Wine Club members, brought in homemade gnocchi with spicy meat sauce and some baguettes to also go with the meat sauce. Both the gnocchi and meat sauce were fabulous.
Trying the wines again with the food, things got very interesting. The earlier fruit forward/easy drinking of the Four Vines, didn’t do so well against the food; it seemed to get lost against the richness of the sauce. The Sobon Hillside on the other hand, got much better as the tannins softened with the food and the wine became much more approachable. The Sobon really seemed to pop/come alive with the food.
If I wanted a Zinfandel to sit around and drink on a nice sunny afternoon, I go with the Four Vines. If it was an afternoon BBQ with some wings and ribs slathered in BBQ sauce, I certainly be picking the Sobon.
Cheers!
Mark
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