WINES WITH ZIP

WINES WITH ZIP
Never call the Good Eating taste panel at the Chicago Tribune unpatriotic. They sat up and saluted this collection of California zinfandel chosen to be served at the Thanksgiving table. All the wines came from familiar, relatively widely available wineries. All the wines tasted were from the 2002 vintage, and they all tasted fine. Six out of eight earned three-corkscrew "very good" ratings from panelists.
2002 Girard Zinfandel: A classic zin from the Napa Valley with plenty of plump berry and cherry fruit padding but not obliterating the underlying tannic structure. Lovely color, great nose, plenty of spice yet still a soft, accessible wine. 3 corks. $22
2002 Ridge California Geyserville: Zinfandel dominates this blend, which is also made up of carignane and petite sirah. There is a cooling, minty undertone to this Geyserville wine, which is lighter in body but more assertive in style than the Girard. The fruit is there, and a long, long finish, but expect also some black pepper and cinnamon. 3 corks. $29
2002 St. Francis Zinfandel Old Vines: The aroma's dark, jammy berry notes translate over to this wine's smooth, smooth fruit flavor. Lots of black pepper on the finish. 3 corks. $17
2002 Ravenswood Zinfandel Big River: Cocoa, prunes and menthol create an enticing aroma for this Alexander Valley wine. The flavor is slightly mushroomy, with plenty of black pepper and cinnamon notes for warmth. 3 corks. $26
2002 Clos La Chance Zinfandel: This soft El Dorado County red leaves plenty of cherry notes on the tongue and whiffs of bacon on the nose. Chocolate enhances the long finish. 3 corks. $17
2002 Bradford Mountain Zinfandel: There's a slightly syrupy quality to this Sonoma County zin, which sports a distinctively out-sized berry/cherry profile. Still, the wine remains balanced. 3 corks. $23
2002 Amazin Zinfandel: The nose on this Russian River Valley red entices with notes of black pepper, earth and spice, but the flavor profile is markedly lighter than one would imagine. Pleasant enough, but needs more muscle. 2 corks. $13
2002 D Cubed Zinfandel: From St. Helena in California's Napa Valley, this zin had an almost sugary taste and an abrupt finish. Not enough there. 2 corks. $22