Pepperwood - Old Vine Red Zinfandel @@@@ (4 corks)

Retails: $4.99 (Total Wine)

Pepperwood's Old Vine Red Zinfandel tastes like a film noir---dark, mysterious, smoke-y. As far as Red Zins are concerned, this one has a particularly unusual flavor that I find really intriguing--existential even. I'm sure Albert Camus would approve.

Like most Red Zins, this beauty packs a powerful aroma and a full-bodied, savory flavor. This is a wine best served solo or with an accompanying appetizer, perhaps some sinfully rich dark chocolate or some mild cheese--and, of course, plenty of l'amour. As my friend, Amon Focus would say, this is a wine to truly knock the pants, urm I mean socks, off someone. I would call it a "Valentine's Day" red --- if you're on a first date with someone who you know enjoys a robust red, you're likely going to hit it off if you serve this one up. Bonus: if this is a first date, you won't be dropping beaucoup-bucks trying to impress him/her either.

For true red wine drinkers, this red won't disappoint. I love a powerful red wine, one that completely embodies all senses--that softening of the world's edges, that tantilizing fragrance wafting from your glass, the lingering oak flavor on your tongue. This wine satisfies all of that criteria. What I find particularly interesting is the strong oak flavor present in this Zinfandel--there is hardly any fruit flavor.

Drink up and enjoy, my friends, for this bottle's under $5--heck, buy 2!

Vicious Zin by Sobon - Red Zinfandel @@@@@ (5 corks!)

Retails: $8.99 (Total Wine)

"Hey, don't let looks or price fool you! There's a lot of heart and flavor in this little scrapper..."

These are the opening words to the commentary on the back of this red zin's bottle and I couldn't agree more! Truly, it had me at first glance. The bottle sports a comic book inspired rendering of a pit bull that immediately caught my eye. As my dog, Roxy, is demonstrating, this is one hell of a buy!

Vicious Zin disappeared faster than I could even realize. My fiance had just poured me another glass and I was shocked to see that the bottle was empty! It's a truly fantastic red zinfandel--full of flavor, not too much bite or dry aftertaste. If you like a full-bodied red, you'll be happily surprised.

Final Words: this might become a regular in my rotation :)

Sobon Estate - California Hillside Zinfandel (2008) @@@@ (4 corks!)

Retails: $10 (Total Wine)

While browsing the shelves at Total Wine in pursuit of the next round of blog entries, I came across this little number, displaying a stick-on sign announcing that this bottle had been "recently featured on Oprah." Hey, if it's good enough for Oprah, it's certainly good enough for me.

This is probably the first time in the history of Wine on a Dime that I've ever reviewed a bottle that was priced at $10 (really over ten if you count taxes) and boy, was it worth every drop.

I would compare the experience of drinking this wine as to that of consuming dark chocolate: smooth but harboring a powerful array of flavors that fills your palette. It's a full-on sensory experience. Dark cherries and chocolate are present from start to finish with the tart, pucker-y tannins delivering a final blow to your tongue. It's fabulous alone (or with chocolate!) but if you're planning on pairing it with a meal, I would stick with steaks and other super-savory meals.

For those who do not shy away from powerful, flavorful reds, this is a must-try!

Barefoot - Red Zinfandel @@@@@ (5 corks!)

Retails: $7.99 (Wal-Mart)


Smooth is what best defines this red zinfandel. It has just enough flavor to be interesting but not overpowering. I'm shocked, truly. I've tried other Barefoot wines befoore and have never been overly impressed but this Zinfandel has knocked my socks off. The fact that it is also considered a Wine Buyer's Guide "Best Buy" doesn't hurt either.


I think what's really interesting about this wine is that it tastes expensive. I'm pretty sure you could serve it at a seriously fancy gathering and hear nothing but compliments, it's just that good. From the subtle berry flavor that turns peppery, to the carefully placed dryness that rests on the center of the tongue post-gulp, this is a fantastic wine.


There's a French wine drinking tradition called the "le gout d'amour" (luh goo d'amoor) or the love drop. It's extremely romantic, so all you dudes out there, listen up. After finishing a bottle of delicious wine with someone you love--or are romantically inclined to--place the empty bottle of wine on its side, wait about five seconds, carefully pour the drop into your girl's glass and explain that it's a French tradition...not only will she think you're dashing for extracting the last drop for her, but worldly and cultured. Let the festivities begin!

Oak Grove - Red Zinfandel @@@@ (4 corks)

Retails: $6.99 (Total Wine)

At first taste I wasn't really taken by this wine. However, after a day of adjusting to room temperature, today it tastes like an entirely different wine. It's delicious!

I have to actually give props to Total_Wine on http://www.twitter.com/ for presenting me with the recommendation. I tweeted that I needed some recommendations on wines under $10 for my blog, and I was greeted by some awesome Zinfandel suggestions from my twitter-pals at Total_Wine.

Twitter is sort of an oddity. While I was on the road with the Crew, my videographers introduced me to the twitter-concept. We did so many crazy things and met so many crazy people that it was often difficult to remember all the fun we were privileged to have. So, initially, twitter was merely a way for me to encapsulate my experiences--and oddly enough people somehow enjoyed my bizarre musings enough to "follow" me on twitter. Now that I'm a desk monkey/cubicle gnome, twitter has become a way to hold brief conversations with colleagues, kill time while importing/exporting video, keep up with the Crew on the road, and "follow" interesting people. It sort of makes you feel like a rock star when you get "followed."

Anywho, so back to the wine. It's a very mellow red. Easily drinkable with just a slight dryness in the aftertaste and hardly any tannin flavor. The flavor has a certain pomegranate flavor mixed with a slight woodsy quality. It's about 95 degrees outside and 100% humidity here in Florida (it's summertime) and I'm finding it to be a relatively refreshing red wine to consume.

Final word: YUM

Gallo Family Twin Valley - White Zinfandel @@ (2 corks)

Retails: $5.99 (Wal-Mart)

The Boss family in America when it comes to exporting wine is Gallo. If Tony Soprano (of The Sopranos) were into wines, he'd be Julio and/or Ernest Gallo.

The Gallo name is a paradox for me. They are synonymous with both high-end wines and also the crap that comes in a four-pack at your local 7-11--don't lie, we've all been there. I can remember days when I was on the road with the video crew and we'd be in some po-dunk town and have nothing better to do than raid the local convenience store for cheap beer and wine in a 4-pack. Gallo distributes wines under several brands including Ecco Domani, Bella Sera, Turning Leaf and Barefoot. If you're an avid wine drinker, you know that there's quite a bit of difference in price between Ecco Domani and Barefoot.

Twin Valley is one of their lower-priced varieties and I can say truthfully, it tastes more like a very diluted cranberry juice than wine. Don't get me wrong, if you're not in it for the taste and rather, in it for the after effects, it's not a bad wine--FYI white wines will give you less of a hangover than reds because the amount of sulfates in this and other light colored liquids is less. But, if you do enjoy a more full-bodied wine, this is probably going to leave you somewhat disappointed.

Pacific Edge "Hell n' Back" - Red Zinfandel @@@@ (4 corks)

Retails: $7.99 (Total Wine)

This is a devilishly good red zin for under $10. Zinfandel is a new endeavor for me and I've been enjoying every bit of it--it may become my new favorite red! I skipped the whole process of acquiring a taste for wine and started my love affair straight up with merlot---I don't play around. Though, to be honest, this was mostly influenced by the fact that my folks had a big merlot phase right around the time I became of age to drink (legally).

Typically, I enjoy my reds at room temperature, but I was gifted a wine cooler that I've been using to chill my reds slightly. In some cases, the wine needs to warm up to exude all of its flavors. However, in the case of red zin, I've found that being slightly chilled works to its benefit (I keep it at about 59 degrees Fahrenheit--which is cool since I live in Florida and keep my house at 70).

For people just beginning to venture into more full-bodied reds, Zinfandel is a good choice. It's a stepping stone from sweeter reds, like Shiraz/Syrah. It contains some of the dryness found in more full-bodied wines like merlot and pinot noir, but it's not quite as heavy on the tannins. For people who are just acquiring the taste, it's not a heavy wine to partake. It's light, some berry flavor, and just a slight dryness in the finish. I strongly suggest a red zin for "intermediate" red wine drinkers. Pacific Edge's Hell n' Back Red Zin is an excellent choice.

Final Word: YUM!

Coyote Creek - Zinfandel @@@@ (4 corks)

Retails: $6.99 (Total Wine)

Like I've said, red zin has been a wine I've long neglected---but no more! A wonderful addition to any collection, red zinfandel delivers on flavor.

Coyote Creek red zin is a delightful bottle to add to your repertoire. Smooth. Sweet. Sparkling. This red zin delivers an array of fruity flavors on the tongue: the sweetness of strawberry, earthiness of blueberry, finishing with the tartness of pomegranate. I'm keeping it short and sweet because you must find this wine for yourself and envelope your taste buds in its exquisite flavors.

Final Words: I'll have another.

Buffalo Grove - Zinfandel @@@@@ (5 corks!)

Retails: $7.99 (Total Wine)

After my disappointing Sangeovese, my boyfriend offered to pour me another glass and I couldn't handle another sip of that varietal. It's now sitting in my fridge probably to be used in cooking somehow and/or eventually drained down the sink. So, I had to open another bottle. We had company, there was no WAY I was going to serve them that. So, I opted for a Zinfandel that came highly recommended at Total Wine's famous employee recommendation aisle.

Until this year, I had never really explored red zinfandel but I'm certainly happy I did. Buffalo Grove's Zinfandel is DELICIOUS. I really did have to stop myself from attempting to drink the entire bottle it was so good. It's a smooth, velvety wine on the tongue. The flavors are a mix of berry and pomegranate with a kick of pepper. The finish is light with a hint of dryness and no overwhelming after taste. Currently, I'm polishing off the bottle with some chips and salsa and it holds up exceptionally well against the spicy salsa.

Final Word: SUPER!

Gnarled Vine - Zinfandel @@@@ (4 corks)

Retails : $7.99 (Total Wine)

One thing I love about wine stores is the aisle of employee recommendations. It's always filled with a nice mix of tastes, like a party with co-workers. There's always a couple wine snobs -- people who will only recommend expensive bottles of wine--like people who only buy full-price designer clothing. There are always a few recommendations that clearly come from people who don't particularly like wine and are probably more into beer or liquor but are forced to make recommendations. Then there's the wine enthusiast---who appreciates wine but understands that the flavor comes from the wine and not from the price.

Gnarled Vine came into my collection via the fantastic recommendation aisle at Total Wine---and, no, Total Wine does not pay me anything to write (though they should). I haven't experienced many red zinfandels, so I've been trying to expand my understanding and appreciation for this grape.

Zinfandels are not a melange, but an actual grape that supposedly came to America from Croatia and/or the "heel" of Italy's "boot"--there is much debate on this matter. For those of you who love a good wine buzz, Zinfandel is definitely your grape of choice. It can be fermented past normal levels of 15% alcohol by volume due to the grape's high sugar content. This grape's flavor in the finished product is highly influenced by the climate it came from---cooler regions will produce a fruitier flavor, while warmer regions will bring out the grape's peppery flavors.

This particular varietal is grown in California and the berry flavor is by far the dominant essence found in this wine. Unlike other zinfandels, however, it has quite a bit of body. You can truly taste the "grapey-ness," slightly reminiscent of varietals made from muscadine grapes (muscadines are used for wine making here in Florida). There's a nice bit of tannin flavor in the finish that is accentuated with a subtle dryness on the tongue.

Final Words: If you're not a fan of the sugary-sweet flavors of white zinfandel, you'll prefer red zinfandel. This one combines the best of both worlds.