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What We Say 2005 V-Twin Zin
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Mission Codename: Vines Angels
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: With so many great Pinot Noirs and Syrahs running on the site in recent weeks, locate a great Zinfandel for our Operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished
Current Winery: V-Twin Vineyards
Wine Subject: 2005 V-Twin Zin
Winemakers: Scott Del Fava
Mission Brief:
Agent White rides a beautiful blue Fatboy. I’ve always been a BMW boxer rider, myself and of late I’ve had my eye on a new Buell. On a recent extended test ride through the Napa Valley I found myself bunched up with group of Harley riders. On the back of one custom chopper, I spotted a wine bottle carrier and I decided to stay with the pack. They had been eyeing my Harley-at-heart loaner Buell and giving me the biker nod and knowing smile that Harley riders will extend to their sportier Buell-riding brethren.
(mission continues below…)
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – A rugged deep garnet, bordering on dark purple with a really tight and springy surface
Smell – Dark cherry and blackberry with chocolate, stone, black leather (just my imagination?), cigar box and horse
Feel – Very wet and cool with an all over mouth coating and medium tannins at the front and back of the tongue
Taste – Jammy, slightly tart and earthy with flavors of cherry, blackberry, pomegranate and mildest lychee with allspice and tender clove and tiny peppercorns
Finish – A great finish that vrooms from sweet to tart and then falls off (zooms off?) from the from front of the mouth to the back.
Conclusion – While this wine revs my motor, its not the overpowering monster that one might expect from the name. Zinfandels are still the classic California wine for a surprising number of people. Forget that Hollywood tells you to like Pinot Noir and be a rebel… Enjoy the jammy boldness that this great wine brings – just don’t forget to wear a helmet!
Winemaker Profile
Scott del Fava
Some would say that Scott is secretive, almost elusive about his winemaking ability. Others might say that he’s got nothing to hide and that he just makes great wines.
When we look at winemakers we often find learned people of ‘pedigree’, and those that have paid their dues as field workers that have toiled in the vineyards – and were then taken under the wing of an often elder master winemaker. In the case of Scott del Fava one look at his bio tells us that this is a regular Joe that loved wine so much, he decided to make some.
Mixing his passion for wine with his passion for cruising the open road on burly rolling Milwaukee Iron, he took on the wine world and learned about wine and wine making through exhaustive experimentation, blending and testing. Scott’s choice of the right grapes from the best vineyard sources he could find contributed as well. Today, Scott is making wines of quality that transcend the Harley-rider image and deliver a fine drinking experience.
Mission Brief, continued from above:
At a stoplight I pulled up next to the rider and asked casually, “What sort of wine do you have there?”
“It my own wine!”, he shouted above the thundering of the v-twin engines under and around us. “We’re pulling off just ahead and were going to crack a few bottles open. Join us?”
How could I say, ‘no’?.
I was intrigued and I wondered what he meant by his own wine. It turned out that he was a winemaker, which was not something I was expecting, and that he had just released what he called ‘a damn great Zin that really kicks ass!’. I sampled the wine and had to agree; Not only did this wine pack a wallop of fruity intensity; it was also remarkably balanced and refined, with great structure and a charming character.
After a few sips, I revealed my identity and over V-Twin Zinfandel and a great BBQ’d burger, I negotiated a handful of cases for our Operatives. If you love great Zinfandel that drinks above its price, this is a great value on a really good wine.
Oh, and that Buell? Well, now I have my eye on the beautiful new Harley Rocker C!!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The grapes for this great wine were grown in the beautiful Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County, California. While the exact location of the vineyard is Top Secret, the Dry Creek Valley can be seen in this <A HREF http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=38.65690,-122.92345&z=14&t=H&marker0=40.29709%2C-111.74258%2Ccima%20collina%20vineyard&marker1=46.00897%2C8.90122%2Ccima%20collina&marker2=36.56538%2C-121.38681%2CN%2036.56538%20W%20121.38680&marker3=38.72190%2C-121.43836%2Cdry%20creek%20valley%5C%2C%20california&marker4=38.65923%2C-122.92398%2Cdry%20creek%20road%5C%2C%20healdsburg%20california" TARGET="NEW">satellite photo
What the Winery Says
V-Twin Vineyards
About the Wine
This Zinfandel is bursting with berry aromas and flavors of raspberry and black cherry that typify this red varietal. Barrel aging provides hints of oak and vanilla to the wine leaving a soft, smooth caramel finish. The Zin’s structure of tannin and fruit creates a well-balanced, smooth wine to be enjoyed with grilled meats, spicy sauces and a wide array of fruits and cheeses. But don’t get caught-up in the food thing – we have blended this Zin to be exceptionally smooth all by itself. We like to open a bottle after a weekend ride – kick our feet up by the fire-pit and have a glass (or 2) while waiting for the grill to heat up. We know you’ll enjoy this wine over and over!
Winery Tasting Notes
Flavor notes of raspberry and bing cherry that typify this red varietal. Barrel aging provides hints of oak and vanilla to the wine – leaving a soft, smooth caramel & cocoa finish. This Zinfandel is ripe with aromas of raspberry, plums, sage, blackberry jam and black pepper.
About the Winery
A few years back we were sitting around the Harley-Davidson Café© in Las Vegas. We had just come back from the River Run over in Laughlin and faced the prospect of going back to our 9-to-5 jobs. Over dinner we were trying to figure out a way to do what we really enjoyed – riding motorcycles – and still pay the bills. We started throwing out ideas & the name V-Twin Zin was born. It took a few years – and more than a few dollars – before our first tangible efforts were seen. Our good friends ( Neil & Phil ) patiently tasted countless blends and vineyard samples with us in an effort to define our style for our first public offering.
For now – we are still operating as a virtual winery, doing custom crushing and blending – but with your support we’ll have a public Tasting Room in the not so distant future. Our loyal friends and winery contacts have been supportive in helping us to source the right vineyards & wines to help us produce great wines at reasonable prices.
I won’t bore you with the usual family winery history thing – or my resume (blah, blah, blah) – because all of that means nothing if you don’t like our wines. We’re about great wines, great friends and living life to its fullest every day – the synergy of these three make great memories. So… the next time you come back from a great ride – even if it’s from work – kick back and open a bottle our wine and share your stories. We look forward to hearing from you. Cheers!
Technical Analysis
Acidity: .53
Alcohol: 13.8%
Appellation: Alexander Valley
Sub-Appellation: Dry Creek
Oak: French & American Oak
Release Date: September 01, 2007
Sugar: 0.28 g/100ml
Time In Oak: 14 months
Varietal: 86% Zinfandel, 6% Carignan, 10% Alicante Bouchet
Year: 2005
