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What We Say 2005 Napa Zinfandel
If you are visiting us for the first time, Welcome! The Wine Spies feature one exceptional wine each day – and we only bring you wines that we ourselves seek out and love. Always, the wines are great. Sometimes greater than great, as is the case with today’s wine from Goosecross Cellars.
SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!
We always feature great wines, but today’s wine is incredibly great! Grab some, Operative, before we run out
Savings Alert!
Shipping Included on 6 bottles or more. Enter this coupon code at checkout (discount will be shown before you complete your order): SPYZIN
Mission Codename: The Goose that laid the golden Zin
Operative: Agent Red, with Agent Zin
Objective: Wine Spies Operatives demand great Zinfandel. Send Agent Red to the Goosecross Cellars in Napa Valley to retrieve a glorious Zinfandel
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Goosecross Cellars
Wine Subject: 2005 Napa Valley Zinfandel
Winemaker: Geoff Gorsuch
Backgrounder: Reports have been flooding in to Wine Spies Central Command about Goosecross Cellars and their passion for crafting distinctive artisan wines. After visiting the winery, Agent Zin and Agent Red return to Central Command with their spoils, a few bottles of today’s great Zinfandel. Read their ‘mission report’ below, if you can stomach the bad jokes that flow out of them as the enjoy a few glasses of this great wine.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Deep garnet with perfect clarity and color that remains concentrated right to the edges of the wine. This wine has a tight and shimmery surface and skinny legs that streak down the glass
Smell – A deep whiff delivers a succulent rush of layered fruits of juicy raspberry, blackberry, and plum, with wonderful spice, cocoa and earthen components
Feel – Tight and velvety smooth, mouth-coating and supple with great medium tannins that dry and make you want to smack your lips!
Taste – DELICIOUS and bold without being over-the-top, with layers of berry jam, ripe plum, cherry and mild spice
Finish – Beautiful layers of flavor taper slowly, leaving behind a slight dryness and sweetness that make you long for your next sip
Conclusion – This is a GREAT wine and I am now a HUGE Goosecross Zin fan. This wine presents a great balance between big and refined. Its flavors and aromas are really big, but they never feel overpowering. The wines mouth-feel is superior and unique, inviting you to try the wine in small sips and large gulps for different sensations. Be sure to grab this wine up as it won’t last through the weekend.
Mission Report:
We spent the day with the good folks at Goosecross Cellars, learning all about their wines and experiencing, first hand, their dedication and their passion for making the best wine. Owners David Topper, Colleen Topper and Geoff Gorsuch were very accommodating, showing us around the winery and describing their artisan-style winemaking ways. Their superb wines are a reflection of their commitment to creating wines that are meant to be enjoyed.
As we were preparing to leave I remarked on the peace and beauty of their winery. In response, Colleen said, “That reminds me of a joke I just heard; Two geese are in the vineyard and one says to the other, ‘What do you do whenever you feel lonely?’ The other one said, ‘Oh, I just have a gander around.’” We all chuckle and then bid Colleen and David a fond farewell.
Back at Central Command, we quickly popped a bottle of Goosecross Zinfandel – the perfect accompaniment to a long needed night off. With all of the hard work we Wine Spies do, occasionally we need to unwind. Fortunately, a great bottle of wine is usually involved. Unfortunately, at least for you dear reader, sometimes these great wines are accompanied by awful jokes. We reflect on our visit and, recalling Colleen’s joke, Zin starts the jokefest:
Agent Zin: Why did the Goose cross the road?
Agent Red: Why?
Agent Zin: To keep the chicken from drinking all this great Goosecross Zinfandel!
So, it was going to be another one of those nights, was it?
In retaliation, I shoot back with:
Agent Red: Knock Knock
Agent Zin: Who’s there?
Agent Red: Goose!
Agent Red: Goose who?
Agent Red: Goose who’s knocking at your door!
Then Zin, with this salvo:
Agent Zin: Knock Knock
Agent Red: Who’s there?
Agent Zin: Goose!
Agent Red: Goose who?
Agent Zin: Goose see a doctor, you don’t look well !
Uggh, I know. But that doesn’t stop us. The bad puns, like the wine, keep on flowing:
Agent Zin: A guy walks into a bar with a goose under his arm. The bartender says, ‘Why did you have to bring the pig in with you?’ The guy answers, “Excuse me? This is a goose.” The bartender says, ’’Excuse me, I was talking to the goose."
Nice try. I fire this one off:
Agent Red: A Goose walks into a bar, orders a round of drinks for everyone and tells the bartender to put it on his bill!
Agent Zin: Three ducks are in a bar and a goose walks in. One duck says, “Take a gander at that!”
If these seem to be getting worse and worse, you’re right. Read on, if you dare, or just skip the jokes and read the end.
(I warned you)
Agent Red: A goose walks into a bar. The bartender is also a goose. A man says to his friend in the corner, “I’m sick of getting double-billed”
Agent Zin: That’s nothing! Try this one… Goose 1, “I’ll Bet I can make you say black.” Goose 2 takes the bet. Goose 1 says, “OK. What are the colors of the American flag?” Goose 2, “Red, white, & blue.” Goose 1, “I told you I could make you say blue!” Goose 2, “But I didn’t say ‘black’….”
And then, they become obtuse:
Agent Red: What did one Goose say to the other Goose?
Agent Zin: What?
Agent Red: Hello
Agent Zin: Ask me if I’m a Goose?
Agent Red: Are you a Goose?
Agent Zin: Yes
I’ll spare you the rest! Suffice it to say that today’s Goosecross Cellars 2005 Napa Valley Zinfandel is infinitely better than our terrible jokes.
If you are looking for a really fantastic Zinfandel, please be sure to pick up a couple of bottles of this superb wine, which we declare to be the best wine we have tasted so far in 2008!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of Goosecross Cellars can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Goosecross Cellars
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About This Wine
Goosecross Cellars
Napa Valley Zinfandel
Vintage 2005
“The mild harvest temperatures we had in 2005 were ideal for Zin and those gorgeous clusters were just brimming with fruit! It’s a variety that can get away from you and start to dehydrate, if you’re not careful, but the cool temperatures made it relatively easy to stay on top of it and this is Zin at its best.”
Winemaker notes:
Following an almost text-book growing season, Geoff guided the wine through a warm fermentation to capture the brambly essence of Zinfandel. Much of the art of winemaking is in
blending and he added a little Primitivo to give the wine additional complexity creating a wine with rich, full flavors and unabashed fruit. It’s loaded with ripe strawberry, black plum, rich raspberry, and a hint of cocoa and spice. Soft, round tannins make for easy drinking now and over the next few years.
Food suggestions:
With its gentle tannins and forward fruit, our Zinfandel is versatile at the table and can take you from bruschetta appetizers all the way through a hearty main course. It’s delicious with grilled sausages, steaks and swordfish. It’s a perfect match for tomato-based sauces such as pasta
dishes, pizza margherita or chicken cacciatore. The tasting room staff has declared Zin the definitive burger wine, an easy-going partner for the grilled meat and your favorite condiments.
Geoff loves to make a snack of our recipe for Chicken Cranberry Spread on a piece of toasted home-made bread along with a glass of Zin. The sweet fruit and toasted nuts work beautifully with the lush strawberry and plum in the wine.
Cheers!
Technical notes:
Total Cases: 782
Appellation: 100% Napa Valley
Component: 77.6% Zinfandel, 22.4% Primitivo
Alcohol: 14.8%
Total Acidity: .57
pH: 3.60
Residual Sugar (Brix): Dry
Stainless steel fermented: 100% (pump-over)
French Oak: 80% (Nevers, Alliers & COF)
Hungarian Oak: 20%
Oak Aging: 16 Months
Bottled: May 15, 2007
Additional Pairings: Grilled swordfish or steak, tomato-based sauces and marinades, pizza, aged cheeses
About The Winery:
A family winery founded in 1985. Owners, Geoff Gorsuch, David & Colleen Topper believe that premium wine has always been an art and a passion – but we have never forgotten that wine is meant, quite simply, to be enjoyed.
We produce a collection of wines that are distinctive and eclectic in style, and our brand of hospitality preserves authenticity.
At Goosecross Cellars, we’ve been making fine wines to serve family, friends, and customers since 1985. Well-known for our warm and friendly hospitality, Goosecross today is reminiscent of the Napa Valley of years ago, when family members and their friends poured wines and winemakers frequently stopped by the tasting room to visit with guests.
About the vineyards:
Goosecross Estate Vineyard is planted with 9 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, with over 35 additional acres newly planted in Cabernet Sauvignon on the winery’s Howell Mountain vineyard.
About the Tasting Rooms:
In 1994, Goosecross Cellars opened its Yountville tasting room, providing educational wine tasting and viticulture tours. In 1995 they began offering a Wine Basics Class® every Saturday from August to November. Open daily between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. with tours by prior appointment.
WINERIES OF NAPA VALLEY: Goosecross Cellars opened its second tasting room located next to the Napa Valley Visitors Center in the Napa Town Center in September 2003. The tasting room collective combines warm hospitality with carefully-selected wines from multiple Napa Valley wineries, including Goosecross Cellars.
Open daily. (www.napavintages.com)
About our Wines:
Napa Valley Estate Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Viognier, Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, ÆROS Collector’s Series Wine (limited release).
PRODUCTION: 9,000 cases annually
One of our Favorite recipes:
Grilled Steaks with Zinfandel & Bell Peppers
Goosecross Cellars Recipe for Zinfandel
Ingredients:
4 rib-eye steaks
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
¾ cup Goosecross Zinfandel
Directions:
Rub the steaks with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat the grill and cook the steaks to medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, oregano, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and bell peppers. Cook, covered, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the wine and boil until the wine is completely absorbed, about 5 minutes. Serve the steaks topped with the vegetables.
Serve with our 2005 Goosecross Cellars Napa Valley Zinfandel
