Astrid scored this wine: 95/100
Zinfandel is one of my all time faves when it comes to barbeque season, and nobody makes them much better than Easton Vineyards in Amador County, California. This one has everything you want in a zin, and it's affordable: deeply colored, opaque with purple glints, densely packed nose of blueberry compote and blackberry jam with a nudge of black pepper and tea spice; the palate is rich, velvety and textured, like biting into the middle of a jam-packed confection. Cardamom and rooibos tea notes round out the finish, which echos with lingering creaminess offered by barrel aging in new wood (French), along with black berry and black cherry fruit and elegant oak tannins. Enjoy this with saucy ribs, burgers, grilled eggplant or medium spicy middle eastern flavors. don't skimp on flavor though, as it's a powerful wine which could easily overshadow subtle flavors like braised pork or lightly grilled fish.
Or have it all on its own, like I often do:
Easton Amador Zin + 'You' = Awesome
Remember though, Zinfandel is best in its youth: if you're going to hold some back, it will reach its peak by 2016.
