Zinfandels rank among best values for taste

As I was putting the finishing touches on my last column, I realized how well the zinfandels and syrahs had performed in my tastings compared with the other wines and decided they deserved columns of their own. This time, it's zinfandel; next time, it's syrah.

To my palate, zinfandel is one of the best values in wine, considering the overall quality and that most of the wines cost less than $30. And especially at the higher prices, it can rival the finest wines in the world.

Zinfandel captures the essence of exuberance and zest in a glass.

Although it can be made in a variety of styles, it typically is big and bold, with raspberry and blackberry fruit accented with spice and a character I can only describe as wild. Zinfandel also tends toward high alcohol, often with levels over 14 percent.

Zinfandel is versatile with food. It's a fine choice for spicy foods such as Italian and Indian, as well as barbecue and grilled meats such as burgers, sausage, and even steak and lamb. And don't forget ... chocolate.

A note about some of the terms: Old vines are generally at least 50 years old and make some of the best zins. "Head-trained" refers to a European vine-pruning style that allows light to penetrate the fruit, also a plus.

Here are the stars from my recent tastings:

• 2005 Clif Bar "Gary's Improv" Napa Valley ($32). The owners of Clif Bar natural foods and drinks have gotten into the wine business in a big way. Highly regarded consulting winemaker Sarah Gott is making cabernet sauvignon, red and white blends, and this fine, full-fiavored zinfandel from a high-elevation vineyard.

• Dashe Cellars. More people should know about the wines of Anne and Michael Dashe. This husband and wife team has an extensive winemaking background. They focus primarily on making wines from older hillside vineyards in
Sonoma County, Calif.

• 2005 Todd Brothers Ranch Alexander Valley ($32) comes from 49-yearold vines planted on a steep, rocky slope just north of Geyserville, Calif.

• 2005 Louvau Vineyard Old Vines Dry Creek Valley ($32), from 70-year-old
head-trained, dry-farmed vines in a rocky riverbed and fermented with natural yeast.

• 2005 Florence Vineyard Dry Creek Valley ($32), from younger vines but delivers intense, fresh fruit.

• Dry Creek Vineyard. Founded by David Stare in 1972, this is one of the modern-day pioneers of the Dry Creek Valley. While a variety of wines is made, including very good sauvignon blancs, I have always been partial to the zinfandels.

• 2005 Dry Creek Valley Old Vine ($28) shows the concentration and structure one would expect from a blend of fruit from five Dry Creek Valley vineyards averaging 80 years old.

• 2005 Somers Ranch Dry Creek Valley ($34) is a successful attempt to deliver old vine character from younger vines by using budwood from heritage vines.

• 2005 Beeson Ranch Dry Creek Valley ($34) offers impressive depth and surprising suppleness from a 120-year-old vineyard.

• Kenwood Vineyards is a versatile winery that makes a range of wines from its Sonoma Valley vineyards, as well as sources throughout Sonoma County. It particularly shines with zinfandel.

• 2005 Sonoma County Reserve ($20), although crafted from the best barrels from Kenwood's vineyard sources, most of this intense but well-balanced wine comes from a vineyard high in the Mayacamas Mountains.

• 2005 Sonoma Valley Jack London Vineyard ($25) is a fitting honor to the "Call of the Wild" author. Kenwood began making zinfandel from this vineyard in 1988. This one is sinewy and loaded with strong dark fruits.

Mazzocco Winery owns vineyards in Dry Creek and Alexander valleys, two prime locations for zinfandel, and makes several single-vineyard wines. In general, they are intense and jammy, with crisp acidity and an abundant finish. They also are the highest alcohol wines from my tastings. But I found the ones recommended here to be enough in balance with fruit and texture that the extra alcohol was less noticeable, except for some heat in the finish. The Dry wines are from higher elevation benchland vineyards and all are fermented using native yeasts.

• 2005 Dry Creek Valley Maple ($36), dry farmed, head-trained vines produce impressive intensity and complexity.

• 2005 Dry Creek Valley Pony ($27) is broad with intense fruit.

• 2005 Dry Creek Valley West Dry Creek ($27) is big and rich but delivered with finesse.

• 2005 Alexander Valley Stone ($27) is ripe and spicy - a wild ride.