Beran California Zinfandel 2012

Something old, something new, something borrowed…I can’t think of anything blue about this wine. Oh! I’m blue because I only bought one bottle. Cue a sad Tom Waits tune. On the bright side, my wine shop carries Beran Zinfandel so I am never far from replenishment.

Something Old: They use some grapes from old vine plantings

Something New: They use some grapes from new growth vines.

Something Borrowed: A wealth of knowledge on how to produce wonderful Zin.

This Red Zinfandel falls under the umbrella of Copper Cane Wines. That includes Elouan Pinot Noir from Oregon and the California Red and White Blends of Carne Humana. The third label is what I happily sampled the other night, Beran Zinfandel. The winemakers have sourced Zin grapes from all the major viticulture areas in California to make up this tasty wine. Using old and new growth vines automatically makes it complex since they each impart different flavors. Something else that is characteristic of Zin grapes is that climate really affects what they taste like. This, of course, affects how the wine will taste. Hot climates tend to give the wines spiciness and dark fruit characteristics. Cooler climates give the wines a soft, blackberry jam taste. This wine is a perfect blend of the all of those things.

As you may well know, I’m impatient when it comes to opening a bottle of wine. I have to drink some right away even though it’s usually a good idea to let reds air out for a few minutes. It’s kind of like coffee. Take a sip right away and it won’t taste like much and it will scald your uvula. But if you let it sit for a few minutes, you can actually taste the flavors. Same with wine. Letting it aerate for a little bit will open up the flavors and you can taste a lot of subtle things you missed by gulping that first glass. What I tasted when I jumped the gun and sipped the freshly poured juice was a strong hit of oaky vanilla and dark berries with some pretty tight tannins. While it was good, I knew that if I was patient and waited, a whole world of smells and flavors would present themselves. And they did. The oak influence settled down and the fruit brightened up. There were all kinds of esters floating around reminding me of boysenberries, a hint of cranberry, and a rich blackberry tart. At the tail end of the mouthful, the typical peppery flavor showed itself. I was eating some grilled bratwurst and hot links when I had this Zin and it was quite enjoyable. If you like red wines at all, you should try Beran Zinfandel. It’s subtly complex without being complicated. Easy to drink. Easy to love. Cheers!

Visit them at beranwines.com

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