Tasting: Zinopolis Zinfandel

Name: Zinopolis Zinfandel

Variety of Grape(s): 100% Zinfandel

Region/Country of Origin: California, USA

Vintage Year: 2018

Price: $16.88

Winery Tasting Notes: The Zinopolis winery in California is home to the Zinfandel grapes used to make this delicious wine. It offers flavors of sun-dried cherries and blackberry spice. It is a full-bodied wine with a slightly sweet taste. Elevate your sipping experience by pairing this Zinfandel with beef, lamb, or poultry (kroger.com, 2022).

Wine Folly Notes: Wine Folly describes Zinfandel as having a high alcohol percentage, low acidity, and medium body, which I agreed with. It is also described as dry, “fruit-forward yet bold,” and “loved for its jammy fruit and smoky, exotic spice notes.” Zinfandel also have flavor notes of blackberry, strawberry, peach preserves, cinnamon, and sweet tobacco. I could sense the spice and fruit notes well. It was good to see that the recommended amount to spend on a bottle is $15 since that is around the value of the bottle I purchased. Because is originally from Croatia, I think it would be fascinating to try a Zinfandel from there, although this may be difficult since it is not as heavily produced there anymore. Lastly, since Wine Folly recommends trying Zinfandel with Asian barbeque, I would be interested to pair it with that next time (e-text, pg. 435-436).

My Review: I thought this wine was okay, but I probably would not buy it again before trying another Zinfandel first. After sniffing the wine, I sensed plum, berry, and blackberry notes. After tasting it, I thought it was slightly spicy with a bit of black pepper. It was also tannic and more earthy than expected, given how fruit-forward it smelled. However, I  was still able to taste the cherry and berry flavors. I tasted this wine without food.