It’s always a thrill to hear a winemaker speak about the passion they have for making wine. And often this has been a passion that has been in the family for generations. When Barrel Select invited me to meet and taste Robert Biale wines I jumped at the chance.
I enjoy Zinfandels (the red ones not the blush ones). In California as you may know the older vineyards are often field blends (within the vineyard different grape types are intermingled). In Italy Zinfandel is referred to as Primitivo. I recently learned the grape is also linked to a Croation variety called Crljenak Kăstelanski. Huh … who knew 🙂
Very dark in color with a lovely red berry nose. Very typical Zinf coming through. On the mid pallet the wine displays some very nice red berries backed almost immediately by some firm pepper notes, some lively acidity and some smooth tannins. There’s also a hint of eucalyptus. This wine lives in in the bold finish but it does not linger long. The wine comes from a newer vineyard that has been planted with 100% Zinfandel. I would give it an 89-90. A very nice wine. It’s $68.99 available in cases of 6 from Barrel Select.
