Story Winery Picnic Hill Zinfandel 2006
I received this bottle as a sample provided by the winery.
Producer: Story Winery (these guys own the www.zin.com domain, so they’re serious about Zin)
Grapes: 100% Zinfandel
Appellation: Shenandoah Valley, an AVA within the Sierra Foothills appellation. Officially called “California-Shenandoah Valley” to distinguish it from Virginia’s “Shenandoah Valley” AVA). Gold Rush country.
Vintage: 2006
Vineyard: The vines in the Picnic Hill vineyards were planted over 100 years ago. Them’s seriously old vines, folks. Some wineries have 30 year old vines and call them old vines. These are Model-T old. Pre-forward pass in football old. Old old.
Winemaking: Aged 10 months in neutral French and American oak. Unfiltered.
Alcohol: a whopping 16%!
Price: $25 from the winery or Snooth.
My tasting notes: A very sweet-smelling, candied nose. There are beautiful raspberry/strawberry notes along with darker fruit. And something in there makes me think of the candied almonds you get at the fair. On the palate, the wine saturates my tongue with more sweet berry fruit and vanilla creme. The texture gets almost gritty toward the end (unfiltered). It finishes hot, though you don’t feel it so much in your throat as in your esophagus.
Overall impression: Definitely from the high-octane school of Zin. I really enjoyed the seductive nose. This is a bottle to share with several friends at the end of the night. B-
Free association:
"These go to eleven." (click for video at YouTube)
More info:
There’s a video review of this wine at Organic Wine Review. They call it: “Berry Balanced for the BBQ”
Some others’ reviews on Snooth.
6 comments. Add yours.
Mmm, the candied almonds description sounds intriguing to me. I love those.
So overall, you didn’t find the alcohol to be too much? From your description, it sounds like it didn’t overpower the aromas and flavors. It does sounds like a wine that might stand up pretty well to some BBQ.
Wow! 16% alcohol is pretty high. I do love Zinfandel, so this may be worth picking up.
Ben: Yeah, more the cinnamon-sugar stuff they put on them than the actual almonds. A nice smell. The alcohol hits pretty late so it didn’t overpower the flavors in the mouth for me. Still, it’s heady stuff and that’s why I recommend it as something to share with SEVERAL friends. Seems like the kind of wine I might open at a party after several others have been consumed and you’re looking for something that will grab everyone’s attention.
Shannon: I’ve gotten used to seeing 15% on labels, but 16% is pretty rare. (At least on the label … in the bottle is another matter since the wineries have some wiggle room on labeling.) That’s what made me think of the Spinal Tap “These go to eleven” scene. I always think of 15% as the top (like the 10 on the amp). 16% is like going to 11.
Thanks for the comment. – Jim
My husband, who just died, and I have been barrel tasting zins at Story for many years, and always buy two cases after tasting. One is always Picnic Hill. I will be getting the two cases next weekend, and they always give an extra bottle per case. My daughter will be going with me to use the other ticket. I will probably split the cases with her, because our wine cellar is full and overflowing. Thanks for the opportunity to rave about Story and especially our favorite variety!!
Nelda – Sorry to hear about your husband. Thank you for sharing your experience with Story and this wine. I can see it being the kind of wine you want to try each vintage. An overflowing wine cellar is a good thing, right?!