Today’s very special wine packs quite a pedigree. This wine was made by Matt Reid, a protege of the legendary Philippe Melka. Matt has held posts at some of Napa Valley’s most prestigious wineries, including Burgess, Quixote, Failla and others. Today’s Black Glass Zin is the signature wine from our good friends at Benessere. Don’t miss out!

After a 6 year absence, we recently welcomed Benessere Vineyards back to the Wine Spies fold. Today, we’re elated to be showcasing their very special Benessere Vineyards 2015 Black Glass Vineyard Estate St. Helena Napa Valley Zinfandel. This wine hails from the exalted Black Glass Vineyard, whose wines are always superb!

This Zin has gem-like clarity, medium density, and excellent color consistency of a maroon hue. The nose is intriguing with diverse aromas including rhubarb, fig, honeysuckle, lanolin, and straw. On the palate, the experience is very different with bright red fruit coming to the fore with wild strawberry and bing cherry, with bramble, rhubarb, and cassis joining in as well. Extremely approachable and smooth, it’s got well-integrated tannin and balanced acidity. Warning! You will probably get to the bottom of the glass and wonder where it went. This versatile wine would pair with a wide variety of foods - This wine would be perfectly paired with a picnic in the park with a big spread of treats from your favorite market.