Quick Picks rolls into 2007 with a look at the standout Zinfandels from Chase Family Cellars tasted at last month’s ZAP tasting in San Francisco.

Tasting notes:

Chase Family Cellars, Zinfandel, Hayne Vineyard 2004 ($45) - Ruby-purple in color with aromas of raspberry, blackberry and spice. Ripe blackberry and black cherry fruit flavors with black pepper finishing elegant and very balanced with medium-firm tannins. A real fruit bomb but has enough structure for further aging.

Score: 91

Chase Family Cellars, Zinfandel, Hayne Vineyard “Reserve” 2004 ($75) - Dark purple in color with intense aromas of blackberry jam, raspberry and licorice. In the mouth, there is rich blackberry and black cherry fruit along with white pepper and spices finishing very smooth and long with well integrated tannins. Perhaps the best Zinfandel I’ve ever had. Only 100 cases produced.

Score: 95

Show Notes:

00:04 - Welcome and winery background
01:30 - Chase Family Cellars, Zinfandel, Hayne Vineyard 2004
02:12 - Chase Family Cellars, Zinfandel, Hayne Vineyard “Reserve” 2004
03:29 - Contact details

Feedback: winecast@gmail.com
Copyright 2007 Acan Media, Inc. Licensed to the public under Creative Commons.

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I got the latest Wine X email blast today which formally announced the passing of the print magazine and said their website and justwinepoints.com would remain open and presumably be updated.

I also noticed they were accepting samples for justwinepoints and wondered who would submit to something that is a satirical stab at wine critics. Perhaps I don’t get their joke, but I don’t think it would be good for any wine brand.

If you would like to hear what it sounds like when the tables are turned and another podcaster interviews me, check out the latest edition of Blography from the Baltimore Sun. I think host John Lindner does a nice job of learning about Winecast, Wine Blogging Wednesday and me from his line of questioning and his editor does some magic to make me sound somewhat like I know what I’m talking about

Check it out on the player below:
mp3

El Jefe, proprietor of Twisted Oak Winery and frequent Winecast commenter, has just posted a contest to write the back label of one of his wines. This is a great marketing idea similar to the Fortune Corkies I wrote about earlier in the month.

Basically, Twisted Oak is asking it’s customers to write the back label of the soon to be released white Rhone-style blend called %@#$! Customers have plenty of ideas to inspire their writing from past examples on the Twisted Oak blog. All entries must be received by March 16th and the winner will be announced March 19th and their back label will be printed on the back of the next release of %@#$! later this summer. Everyone entering the contest will receive a 20% off coupon for wine purchases and the winner will receive a full case of %@#$! with their custom label.

Like other promotions that invite customers to co-create the product, I think this one will be successful in spreading the word about Twisted Oak and get more people to try their wines. Current customers will tell their friends and this word-of-mouth will spread virally. All without expensive ads in Wine Spectator and the like. Very Wine 2.0, El Jefe.

Seems next Tuesday is the most popular day, so join me and Pimp Daddy from Twisted Oak on March 6th from 6:00 pm at Solera in Minneapolis. I figured Spanish food would be the best to accompany the Cali-Spanish wines being poured.

The folks at Twisted Oak are covering the wine and corkage; we’ll pay for whatever we eat.

So I get the final count, either post to the comments here or drop me an email before this Sunday.

I was alerted this morning that Winecast was mentioned in a short piece in yesterday’s Baltimore Sun about Wine Blogging Wednesday. For those not buying fish in the greater Baltimore area this week, the story is also on their website.

For the record, I don’t think WBW is a, “…cold, cruel substitute for an actual wine event.” Both online and offline wine tastings are great ways to discover new wines and develop friendships; WBW gives me the chance to share wines with a worldwide audience.

If you found my blog after reading the Sun article, you might want to read the summary post from the last WBW here.

I’ll also be on the Sun’s “Blography” podcast toward the middle of this week. I’ll post a link to it when it’s released.

Petite Sirah is one of my favorite wine varieties and Peterson Winery is one of my favorite producers. Combine the two and you are likely to be pleased. This wine is a blend of 75% Petite Sirah, 17% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah, 2% Zinfandel and 1% Carignane from Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley AVA. The fruit comes from several vineyards including the West Vineyard which contributes relatively newly planted Petite Sirah and 80 year old Zinfandel to this blend. The remainder is grown in Norton Ranch, Tollini Vineyard and Peterson’s own Bradford Mtn. Vineyard.

Peterson Winery, Petite Sirah , Dry Creek Valley, 2002 ($26) - Deepest purple-black in color with aromas of blackberry liqueur, blueberry, sage and vanilla. In the mouth there’s rich with boysenberry jam, black pepper and coffee flavors finishing with moderate and well integrated tannins. A well balanced example of this varietal that will continue to please for a few more years. Only 200 cases produced.

13.7% ABV
Natural cork closure
Score: 89

Buy this wine online
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I’ve just posted another article at Good Grape; sort of an introduction to Wine 2.0. Check it out here.

Another new article will be cross-posted here tomorrow.

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Last year I hosted a wine dinner with wines contributed by Stormhoek and was just offered a similar opportunty from the folks at Twisted Oak. You may remember them from Unfiltered 1 when we spoke with owner El Jefe. He’s sending his sales guy, appropriately known as “Pimp Daddy”, out here to the Twin Cities in a little over a week and was looking to get together with some locals for a dinner and wine tasting. Like the last time, Twisted Oak will bring the wine (and pay corkage) and individuals will be responsible for their food. We’ll probably be back at Zander Cafe in St. Paul, or some other wine friendly place in The Cities, and start at 6-ish.

My second podcast with co-host Jeff Lefevere of Good Grape joined by Jason Korman from Stormhoek winery, Tyler Colman, a.k.a. Dr. Vino and Alan Baker, the Cellar Rat.

Show Notes:
00:23 - Welcome and introductions
01:15 - Stormhoek Q&A
21:10 - Why are NASCAR, NFL and LPGA fans drinking more wine?
29:33 - Regarding wine becoming mainstream in American culture…
35:23 - Is Costco, et. al. changing the 3-tier wine distribution system?
47:22 - Plugs for each participants’ blog
50:15 - Contact details
50:24 - Next month’s theme and participants

Feedback: winecast@gmail.com
Copyright 2007 Acan Media, Inc. Licensed to the public under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/

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