Summit Lake Zinfandel 2002

I'm falling in love with Zin. I have my eyes on this particular one- a nose that is reminiscent of a Santa Cruz boardwalk, all cotton candy and a hint of bananas and sea mist. The flavors are fantastic - consistent throughout the palette and never losing a step in the mid palette where many wines drop off. There are flavors of plums, black cherries and cola - and the density is not syrupy, but almost. The finish lingers with flavors of nearly-ripe fruits and goes on for days. A great offering for a spectacular value.

I love how wine can take you away. . . the sense of smell has so much to do with your memory! And often times the way something smells can invoke a particular time and place. This Zinfandel Port takes me back to my mom's kitchen - and her putting together her own, perfect, bread pudding recipe. On the nose it smells of figs and brown sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, and a little rum to make the raisins soft. On your palate it is deliciously sweet and would probably pair wildly with Mom's bread pudding. The notes of fig come through with a little hint of cinnamon and prunes as well. Decisively made and gorgeous read more...through out. . . if you want a real after dinner treat. This is where it's at.    (hide)

The vineyards atop Howell Mountain are known for the reds. Raspberries, subtle anis, cracked black pepper and chocolate abound in voluminous proportions 100% Zinfandel fruit. Drink now to 2020.

July 2009

Summit Lake Vineyards, located atop Howell Mountain at an elevation of 2300 feet, was originally planted in 1917 and purchased by the Brakkkesman family in 1971. It produces primarily zinfandels and has often been a Gold Medal winner since they started to release their estate wine in 1985. The vineyard benefits from the warmth of the inversion layer which creates higher acids and sugar levels. The grapes are hand harvested and are crushed and fermented traditionally then aged in oak for 2-3 years. The wine is bottled using a sterile filtering process then aged 6 more months. Full bodied and spicy read more...it pairs with roasted or grilled meats, parmesan cheese and eggplant dishes.    (hide)

March 2009