How about a WICKED WEEKEND?

How about a WICKED WEEKEND? Three days of total abandon planned around sensuous dinners, seductive foods and incredible wines. Well, we would love that too but as an old married couple we will have to settle for a good diner, a good wine and a comfortable bed to sleep it all off; well almost. In an attempt to convert, subvert and dare the wine drinking public, the vintners at Alexander Valley Vineyards have put out three zinfandels which they have dubbed “Wicked Weekend.”
The three wines, while made from the same grape variety, zinfandel, each present a different view of what can be done with great grapes and talented winemakers. Zinfandel is truly “the American Wine.” Throughout all of the years that the zinfandel has been planted on this continent, it has changed. Much like a child that has been adopted in early infancy, the genes are those of the birth parents but the character is purely a product of its environment. By the third generation, the birth parents genes are still there but it is the personality and character built by the family over the ensuing years that is most noticeable. So it is with a grape. Over the years the vine has adapted to its growing environment and has changed dramatically from its genetic parents. The time has come to declare it a variety on its own and accept it as such. After all, human beings can trace our ancestry back to a few prehistoric ancestors and look how diverse we are today.

WICKED WEEKEND #1 Temptation 2007 Zinfandel: ($12.99). How better to start off a wicked weekend than with Temptation. This offering from Alexander Valley Vineyards reinforces why zinfandel wines, in all of its forms, are the most popular wines in the country. This dark colored red wine presents a slightly different face to the variety than is usually expected. While the pronounced raspberry flavor and aroma, which is the signature flavor of the variety, is present in abundance, there are a myriad of underling soft fruit flavors. Fig is the most noticeable of these flavors along with oak and vanilla. This very delightful wine can accompany almost anything up to and including a wicked weekend dinner.

WICKED WEEKEND #2 Alexander Valley 2007 Sin Zin ($19.99). To a great extent, a sense of humor is often lacking in the wine industry and it is great to see some of the wineries and winemakers loosening up. Let’s be very honest, a name like Sin Zin certainly perks the imagination. The Alexander Valley 2007 Sin Zin is definitely a wine not to be taken lightly. The color is a deep ruby red with wild strawberry and black pepper dominating the bouquet, followed by undertones of apricot and plums. Strawberry, eucalyptus, cedar and cola rule the flavor and the wine finishes with more fruit and subtle oak nuances. We cannot call the Sin Zin a classical zinfandel because there are no classical zinfandels, but this wine can set the standard. It is superbly made and a pleasure to drink.

WICKED WEEKEND #3 2006Redemption Zin Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel ($19.49). 2006 was a picture perfect growing year for the grapes in the Dry Creek Valley. A long, moderate growing season allowed the grapes to stay on the vine longer and develop an incredible concentration and depth of flavor. What results is a wine that incorporates the flavors and aromas found in all red wines. The dominant flavor is raspberry, and there is plenty of that to be found in this zinfandel. Surrounding the raspberry are the flavors of black cherry and black currents. There is also just an element of oak to add further interest and complexity along with just the right amount of tannin to make sure that the wine will age well over the next few years. We found this wine to be one of the best of the vintage that we have tasted to date. Of course, the vintners suggest Redemption after Sin.