Name: Tortoise Creek Zinfandel
Variety: 85% Zinfandel, 3% Barbera, 3% Teroldego, 2% Aglianico,
2% Petite Sirah and 5% other reds
Region: Lodi, California
Country: USA
Year: 2019
Price: $12
Winery Review: Our Zinfandel has a deep color and rich, spicy aromas of wild dark berries
and plums, It is round, rich, and bursting with flavor. The other red varietals add
a delightful complexity to the final blend.
Wine Folly: Zinfandel in general/Lodi, CA (191) - I could definitely pick up on the dark fruit mentioned like blackberry bramble, as well as the strong presence of spices like pepper. I don't think I picked up on any peach like they mentioned.
My Review: The dark berries are what hit my nose first, then soon after I was hit with a strong tingle on the top of my nose from the peppery spices. I paired this zinfandel with different meals on two consecutive nights. The first night, I enjoyed it with sausage, chicken, and black olive pizza. The second night, I paired it with a ribeye steak and eggs. While drinking it with both meals, I noticed that the food masked the hit of the spices to my nose and made the dark berry taste a bit sweeter and last longer. Overall, I really enjoyed the wine and think that Zinfandels will often be my wine of choice with red meats and foods with Italian seasoning.
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