Zin and the Art of Ageing

It's a reasonable question. The problem is coming up with a sensible answer.

Nowadays the most popular wines are usually the most immediately appealing. In other words, if it's drinkable at a young age, so much the better. But with an ever-swelling brigade of consumers learning more each day about wine, the notion of drinking "aged" wine can't be far off.

Storage space, especially in an expensive real estate city like Vancouver, is an issue, but cellars, or at the very least the latest wine refrigerators, are popping up in homes and condominiums with more and more regularity.

The trick is to know which wines will improve with aging and how long it might take.

It's not an exact science. In fact, it's more of an acquired experience and it's different with almost every type of wine. Anyone who has opened up a special bottle of wine, only to discover it expired in the bottle, knows the difficulty of selecting wines to age and pinpointing how long to age them.

American zinfandel guru and highly respected wine grower Paul Draper of Ridge Vineyards thinks that the ability of wine to age comes down to "site-distinctiveness and the suitability of the grape to any particular site."

He also believes vine age and the tonnage the vines are asked to carry play an important role, as well as the intention and ability of the vintner. "Depending on the approach taken, low-yield fruit from the finest site can make a fine, long-lasting wine -- or lose its potential in the winemaking process. Vintage conditions are also a consideration."

So should zinfandel be aged? According to Draper, "the best zins are so inviting in their first five or six years that laying them down seems almost silly." About his own zinfandels, he says in some cases they can be aged but usually he recommends drinking them within the five-to-seven-year time frame, "though clearly certain vintages will go longer."

As I said, experience may be your best ally in the aging debate.

Sticking with zinfandel, today we look at some current favourites. Zin has been euphemistically described as a comfortable old pair of shoes, or like sinking into your favourite armchair, no doubt alluding to its soft, pleasing, easy-sipping nature and often supple tannins.

The Tamás Estates Zinfandel 2004 is a smooth, sweet, spicy affair made with Livermore Valley zinfandel and 10 per cent barbera. It's aged for about eight months in French and American oak to soften the edges of its spicy, jammy, brambleberry fruit flavours. It is a very attractive, easy-sipping style.

As always the Shenandoah Zinfandel Special Reserve 2005 is a big and burly red and it is drier than most of its modern counterparts. It's slightly more tannic, but with plenty of power and finesse mixed with ripe, black, peppery fruit with chocolate/licorice undertones. Perfect for steaks or roasted meats.

Rodney Strong owns about 15 acres of old, gnarled zinfandel vines, planted in 1904, that go into Rodney Strong Zinfandel Knotty Vines 2004 mixing the appellations of Dry Creek, Russian River and Alexander Valleys. The '04 is showing cranberry/ brambleberry, blueberry fruit nuances on the nose and palate mixed with soft, if obvious charred, American oak notes. Fresh and lively with just a touch of grippy tannins in the finish that could be easily be slaked with a grilled beef entrée.

 year in bottle has given the Sobon Estate Zinfandel Old Vines 2005 a real sense of harmony and balance often missing in this variety. I love the floral fruity nose with its spicy, peppery-fruit flavours, but with nothing over the top. Small amounts of primitivo, grenache and sangiovese add a layer of complexity and flavour missing in so many other zinfandels at this price level. Fine balance and length.

Artezin Zinfandel 2005 is big, warm, spicy, glossy, zinfandel from Mendocino, Amador and Sonoma counties made by the folks at Hess Collection. It's crammed with briary, black fruit with a just enough acidity to keep it fresh and just enough vanilla and berries to be very attractive. You can serve this crowd pleaser with most roasted or grilled meats and/or poultry.

Finally, the Ridge Three Valleys 2005 is a blend of mostly Zinfandel skillfully spiked with petite sirah, carignane, grenache and mourvèdre from Dry Creek, Sonoma and Alexander Valleys. It opens with bright floral, strawberry jam and spice aromas with barnyard, tobacco, earth and celery notes. Round, supple, dry slightly tannic entry with spicy, black cherry jam, strawberry, clove and briary, roasted earth flavours. A touch alcoholic, but with fine fruit, balance and finesse. Drink now and over the next two years.

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TAMÁS ESTATES ZINFANDEL 2004, LIVERMORE, SAN FRANCISCO BAY, CALIFORNIA
Price: $18
UPC: 012404000114
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Sweet, spicy zinfandel from Livermore.

SHENANDOAH ZINFANDEL SPECIAL RESERVE 2005, AMADOR COUNTY,
SIERRA FOOTHILLS, CALIFORNIA
Price: $20
UPC: 088338048901
Score: 88/100
Remarks: A big and burly zin with chocolate and licorice undertones.

RODNEY STRONG ZINFANDEL KNOTTY VINES 2004, SONOMA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA
Price: $23
UPC: 087512920057
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Earthy brambleberry-like fruit nuances.

SOBON ESTATE ZINFANDEL OLD VINES 2005, AMADOR COUNTY, SIERRA FOOTHILLS, CALIFORNIA
Price: $25 at private wine shops
UPC: 088338559902
Score: 89/100
Remarks: Complex zin with ageing potential.

ARTEZIN ZINFANDEL 2005, MENDOCINO - AMADOR - SONOMA COUNTIES, NORTH COAST, CALIFORNIA
Price: $25
UPC: 00717888640029
Score: 89/100
Remarks: This is big, spicy, glossy zinfandel.

RIDGE THREE VALLEYS 2005, SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Price: $35
UPC: 744442081004
Score: 89/100
Remarks: Bright floral, strawberry-blueberry jam flavours.