Lot 431
2021 Mendocino County Zinfandel

$45/bottle under the original label

Mendocino fruit has long been used as an augmenting "secret weapon" by the big players and blue chip estates of Napa Valley and Sonoma. Another water-tight NDA is keeping the vineyard name from this list, but a few wineries who you might say are “in Zin” have bottled juice from this site. Our source's bottling from this vineyard fetches $540/case.

Opening with brambles and black cherry haloed by peach preserves and sweet tobacco, the nose is accented with cola, white pepper, and spice. The palate is a bit more elegant in its youth than expected based on the complexed nose; further black cherry and cola meet white pepper and red fruits gliding over the palate with an ethereal acidity and perfectly integrated velvety, grippy tannins. The finish is dry for a Zin and medium in length, making for an incredibly quaffable experience. Kebab and Asian-styled BBQ fans should have this on deck for next summer's festivities.