• Basic info: Peterson “Old School Zinfandel” Dry Creek Valley, CA – 2013
• Type: Red
• Price estimate: $20
• Look: Dark garnet in color. Opaque. Nice legs with a little time in the glass.
• Smell: Cherry, oak, fresh tobacco and strawberry.
• Taste: Tart cherry, dark fruit with a touch of vanilla and oak. Black cherry on the finish maybe a touch of chocolate in there.
• Conclusions: I loved this wine. This is what zinfandel should be for me. Lots of layers of flavor with none of the bitter notes that some reds can get. Deep cherry and a touch of chocolate with a hint of sweetness, but not a sweet wine by any stretch. Yeah … this one goes on the “get again” list.
• Other notes: I was nervous when I saw the bottle because I was a little afraid that the wine would match the art and I’d have an over-heavy punch-you-in-the-face wine. But it wasn’t. Don’t get me wrong, there is a ton of flavor in this wine, but it held back the punch. Just lots of great drinking here.
• From the bottle: The bottle itself doesn’t have any notes, but from the website, “Blended primarily from vineyards in the Northern Dry Creek Valley, Old School has a style that is full of flavor and character but not over the top. We want a wine that is refreshing and “highly drinkable” and satisfying; the type of Zin you can either open on a weeknight or take to a party without hesitation. As a bonus to an already great wine, each year our designer Chris Blum comes up with a new image and accompanying story to entertain and amuse, starting on the front and finishing on the back label.Robust dark-toned aromatics—briary berry, plum, spices and oak—fill the senses and lead into this easy-sipping wine.” 13.9% alcohol by volume.

Yes, I went heavy on the pour after tasting it. And I don’t regret it in the least.