A Multitude of Zins

Summer brings more vinous discord into the Olken household than any other time of year. And Zinfandel is the culprit. We like to spend time with the Weber during the dog days, and the wine we most like to serve with our ribs or chops or hickory sauce-basted chicken, or even savory salmon, is Zinfandel.

Now, you might think that Mr. and Mrs. Olken would be in barbecue heaven just because we agree on the variety we want. But no such harmony exists. Mrs. Olken happens to like soft, mellow, open, fruity Zinfandels, while Mr. Olken likes them a little bigger, richer and sturdier.

And heaven forbid that the relatives should come to call. It is all we can do to get my mother-in-law to drink any kind of red wine at all, while my brother Richard has been known to negotiate for the most inky, tannin-laced, too-young-to-be-drunk Zin in the cellar before he will so much as agree to come over.

“Charlie,” he will say with that smirk that little brothers get when they think they have outwitted you, “you have so much wine. Why are we arguing?”

Well, one of the nice things about Zinfandel is that it can be soft, lush and slurpy, or well-balanced and firmly structured, or it can make wines that only my brother and a few woodchucks could gnaw their way through. I am constantly searching for the one wine that will satisfy us all, but that piece of vinous nirvana may be beyond my reach.

Still, in my latest batch of Zin tastings, a whole host of wines showed up that can at least begin to bridge the gap. It seems that the long, cool and very extended harvest of 1998 has produced a batch of Zinfandels that taste plenty ripe but are not over the top in tannin and alcohol. Indeed, even the winemakers admit they are pleased to be able to make better-balanced wines.

What they do not tell you, of course, is that some of them never quite got all their grapes ripe, and that a fair number of ‘98s suffer from Zinfandel’s tendency to produce bunches of grapes in which some berries are very concentrated while others are still green.

The best of the vintage are ripe and tasty yet well-balanced, with solid underlying structures. That combination of generosity and sturdiness is bringing peace to the Olken barbecue pit and is pleasing a whole group of Zinfandel drinkers who despaired that restraint and Zinfandel were no more to be mentioned in the same breath.

A word about pricing. Zinfandel is the second most widely planted variety in California after Chardonnay. It has always been more affordable than most other reds, and that remains true today. But some Zinfandels are made in small batches from low-yielding vineyards, and they carry prices that run into the $30 range. A few of the most special among those are recommended below.

But there are plenty of Zins that are relative bargains, and many of them are deeply discounted at some of the most competitive stores. With Zinfandel, it pays to look around.

* 1998 Beaulieu “Beauzeaux,” Napa Valley, $20. This unusual mix of varieties is about half Zinfandel with smaller portions of Valdigue (we used to know it as Napa Gamay until it turned out not to be Gamay), Charbono (a grape that produces ripe, full-bodied wines of modest distinction), Petite Sirah, Primativo (Italian vineyardists and even some Californians argue that it is really Zinfandel) and Grenache (ripe, fruity wines often lacking in structure). When all is said and done, this melting-pot red is rich, nicely concentrated, medium-full in body and relatively low in tannin.

* 1998 Blockheadia Ringnosii, California, $16. Despite the name, this is serious wine. And it is worth noting that there are other, pricier, Blockheadia Ringnosii Zinfandels, so be sure to look for this one, with its all-encompassing “California” designation. Its “Napa Valley” sibling rates two stars, but its price tag of $32 makes it pricey even in this company. Enjoy this one for its direct, ripe fruit and its nice sense of proportion. It has enough structure to make it attractive, yet does not offend those who want a relatively open, approachable wine.

**** * 1998 Cline Cellars, California, $9. If there is a better bargain in Zinfandel on the market today, it did not show up in the more than 100 wines tasted. This wine, which admittedly is a little on the soft side for my tastes, is nonetheless deep in blackberry jam fruitiness enriched with hints of dark chocolate and sweet oak. This is a wine that ought to be bought by the armload and enjoyed all summer.

* * 1998 Folie a Deux “Bowman Vineyard,” Amador County, $25. Deep, ripe blackberry fruit seasoned with hints of sweet spices and black pepper and filled out by creamy oak combine in this most attractive, solidly constructed Zinfandel. It has enough muscle to have some appeal to the “bigger is better” crowd, yet it stays within the sturdy but balanced proportions that I favor.

* 1998 Quivira Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, $16. Perhaps it is the addition of 13% Petite Sirah that contributes the brawn to this big-shouldered, tannic effort, but whatever the source, the wine sets its ripe berry fruit and vanillin sweetness against a tough, tannin-laced structure. It probably ought to be set aside to age for the next several years, but if you happen to have the same tastes as my brother, you will enjoy this rather rustic bottling now.

* * * 1998 Rosenblum Cellars “Samsel Vineyard, Maggie’s Reserve,” Sonoma County, $30. Sometimes, you simply have to bite the bullet and ignore the pain of paying $30 for Zinfandel. This wine sets a standard of accomplishment that few others can approach. Its fruit is deep and keenly focused. Its balance is firm but not hard, and its underlying mouthfeel is supple without being soft. Its lengthy fruit and spice flavors go on and on and seem to last on the palate forever, yet the wine avoids the alcoholic bite of over ripeness that accompanies so many of the current crop of Zins. It does not get much better than this.

**** * 1998 Rosenblum Cellars “San Francisco Bay,” Contra Costa County, $13. A member of the Rosenblum staff told me recently that some wisenheimer wine writer had complained that the winery makes too many Zinfandels. Well, dear readers, you need only take a look at their track record, and you will join me in saying “Nuts” to that silly idea. And a good place to start is with this direct, fruity, slightly soft and chocolaty effort whose rich, inviting flavors will satisfy everyone who likes their Zins open and fleshy.

**** 1998 Ivan Tamas “Beyer Ranch,” Livermore, $12. With houses pushing in everywhere in the Livermore Valley, we will never again see much wine from an area that was once among the preeminent California locales for wine grapes. This succulent, berryish bottling is a bit on the ripe side, but it has plenty of flavor and is priced right. Pick it up if you see it.

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*** A world-calss wine, suberb by any measure, the top 1% to 2% of all wines tasted.

** An exceptional wine, well worht the effort to find, 10% to 12% of wines tasted.

* An admirable wine, tasty focused, attractive, about 25% of wines tasted.

No Rating: The best are quite pleasant and can be good buys when moderately priced.

**** Good value for the money.

***** Below average quality, to be avoided.

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This column is based on tastings conducted by Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine, a monthly newsletter devoted to the critical review of California and West Coast wines. Readers of The Times may obtain a sample issue by calling or faxing (510) 865-3150 or by e-mail to CGCW@aol.com. The Web site is https://www.cgcw.com.