Perry Creek 2014 “Zinman” Zinfandel

Value, flavor and a truly American experience can be found with Zinfandel. This bottle from the El Dorado AVA checks all the boxes.

High Altitude Attitude

The Perry Creek Winery is located in the Sierra foothills east of Lake Tahoe. High in the El Dorado wine region of California, their vineyards are cooled by the elevation rather than ocean breezes.

Grapes for their well-known Zinman Zinfandel come from their Fairplay Vineyard, located at 2,400 feet as well as other El Dorado vineyards. The wine benefits from the unique geography, decomposed granite soil as well as the cool nights and warm days.

Zinfandel Zensation

Zinfandel is a mostly California wine that can be had in a variety of styles from jammy and fruit forward to more complex and refined. It also comes in a wide range of price points – from the $10 range to beyond $50 for certain Old Vines bottles. There is sure to be a Zinfandel to suit your taste.

We popped this bottle courtesy of our new friend Jack. We were attending a conference and stepped away from the hospitality room to sample a few bottles he brought with him from California.

The Zinman claim to fame is that it delivers reserve quality at a value price. Upon sipping, we agree. The wine flows with raspberry and pepper flavors. There is a brambly flavor we attribute to its high altitude locale. It provides a complexity we dig.

There are two other reasons to like Zinman: the $14 SRP and its origin in the El Dorado AVA. El Dorado is off the radar with most wine lovers, but they produce some standout wines including Zin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay. It’s a region worth exploring with your wine glass.