Are the Sutters Home?

I started this blog posting the evening after having tasted the 2007 Sutter Home Family Vineyards Zinfandel. This is a brand I’ve avoided due to its “white zinfandel” association. However, I’ve often been curious since the winery is located right in the heart of Napa (between powerhouses Beringer and Flora Springs) on Highway 29. For this wine, their website says: “Spicy berries and juicy pepper. Dark colored, yet bright. Swirling in your glass is proof positive that life is full of glorious contradictions.” It sounded like the zin-lovers version of going to Lourdes. And at $4, I took the plunge and bought two bottles. Unfortunately, this Barbie-doll of a wine (heavily perfumed, pink, flowery, with a whisper of zin flavor) caught me a bit off guard. On the positive side, it wasn’t sour, overly tannic or weedy, and had a pretty-ish purple color. Most of my thoughts surround whether this type of wine was a good deal even at $4. And, if we’re going to use bottle #2 for cooking instead of drinking, the real cost to me is more like $8 – a price point at which there are many tasty options.

While I’m not ready to throw the Sutter family under the next wine-tour bus that drives past their estate on Highway 29, I’m not planning to invite them home with me again either.

Best, Joe Plonk

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