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 even better than that, as is the case with today’s wine from Judd’s Hill.

SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!

We always feature great wines, but today’s wine is a wonderfully delicious Zinfandel – and Agent Red’s favorite zin so far this year!. Grab some, Operative, before we run out

Secret Savings Alert!

Ground Shipping Included plus an additional 5% off when you buy 6 bottles or more. Enter this coupon code at checkout (discount will be shown before you complete your order): SPYZIN

Mission Codename: Music to our lips

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Investigate reports that Zinfandel from Lodi, California, are among the best produced in 2005. If a superior example is located, secure an ample allotment for our Zin-thirsty Operatives

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Judd’s Hill

Wine Subject: 2005 Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel

Winemaker: Art Finkelstein

Backgrounder: Read our greedy agent’s tasting report below, followed by his mission report

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep red-purple in color, with great clarity and deep concentration of color right to the wines glittering edges, with a very bouncy surface and super-thin, tightly-packed legs that streak down the glass

Smell – Dark and concentrated with deep concentrated jammy fruit of mixed dark blackberry, pronounced ripe raspberry, dark and smoky blueberry with a subtle hint of black pepper

Feel – Soft, full, velvety, smooth, rich and round, this wine has a superb feel! Initially wet and fast, the wine eventually takes hold, coating the mouth and lips with a slightly dry and chewy goodness

Taste – Intense but wholly balanced layers of rich flavors that reflect the nose, with pronounced fresh fruit and a slight smoky dark cherry and mild spice

Finish – Big and tasty, flavorful and delicious, with flavors that really linger, plus supple tannins that add a hint of dryness and keep the flavors going strong for a long interval

Conclusion – Holy WOW! This is one wonderful wine, and I declare it to be my new favorite Zinfandel! With a few years of bottle-age this wine is drinking beautifully, with a smoothness and flavors that suggest that it will only get better with age. This is a wine of perfect balance with all of its qualities playing together in perfect harmony.

Mission Report:

It was the end of a very long day – and I was dog tired. I had been on a mission in Napa Valley that took way longer that I had anticipated and I still had to drive to Monterey County for an early morning surveillance.

I decided to stop in San Francisco for dinner and parked near my favorite Thai restaurant, only to find that it had closed for remodeling. Just great.

It was dark, I was feeling glum and I had no idea where to eat. I moped back toward my car and, as I was getting in, heard the thin sound of music coming from a nearby alley. Even though I could not quite make it out over the sounds of the street, it had a lively feel to it and I found myself drawn toward it.

As I neared the building that the sweet sounds emanated from , the music became clearer. It was Hawaiian music. Hapa haole Hawaiian music, actually. A great vintage sound, with ukulele and steel guitar and happy vocals. My spirits lifted. That is, until a wall of a man blocked me from entering the building. I looked up… and up… and up some more. A very serious looking Polynesian stared down at me.

“Private party, sir, sorry”, he siad in the deepest voice I had ever heard.

Before I could answer, a voice from behind me in the alleyway called out, “Its okay, Pea, he’s with me.”

(“Pea”?)

I turned to see a cardboard box being thrust into my arms. Obviously a case of wine, I went along with this young stranger and followed him inside. He motioned me to set the case down among several other cases of wine. Each box was labeled with “Judd’s Hill” and “2005 Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel”.

I set the box down and the smiling stranger extended his hand and said, “Hi, I’m Judd.”

Judd’s Hill. Judd.

He saw me looking from the wine to him and said, “Yup, my family’s winery! You like wine?”

Needless to say, the rest of the evening was filled with frivolity, great Zinfandel, cool music, fantastic food and great people.

After watching Judd (grape grower, winemaker, musician, performer and artist) and his group, The Maikai Gents Featuring The Mysterious Miss Mauna Loa, perform, Judd told me all about his winemaking family and their artisanal ways.

The evening was just what the Spy Doctor ordered and the Zinfandel struck me as the best I had tasted all year. Right there at the party, Judd agreed to devoting an allocation to our Operatives. My bad-day-turned-great-evening is your reward, dear Operative. Today’s wine is sweet music to your lips!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Judd’s Hill winery can be seen in this satellite photo.