Smoking Loon Old Vine Zinfandel ~ Review

Being the "under $5" enthusiast that I am, I was pleasantly surprised to find a 50% off rack at the local grocery store. Actually Hubster found it, but he immediately called to inform me of the choices. I picked out 3 bottles and he brought them home.

My first selection was this Smoking Loon Old Vine Zinfandel (2006). Regularly priced at around $9, we paid $4.74.

Coloring: Deep and rich. When held up to light it only slightly penetrated the garnet swirling in my glass.

Aroma: was that of a wood shed filled with pepper and raspberries.

Flavor: The first taste was similar to the aroma with an earthy finish and left my mouth tingling in anticipation of more. Half-way through the glass I was tasting more spice and berries and truly enjoyed this wine.

Vision: I can picture myself enjoying this at one of our friends Outer Banks rentals . Sitting on the deck with friends and family, enjoying a glass before dinner.

Taster's notes:

This Zinfandel pours a slightly translucent garnet in the glass, with an enticing aroma of spice and mixed berry. Raspberry, clove, and white pepper draw you in, and the interplay between fruit and spice changes and evolves on the palate, a tell-tale quality of a fine wine. Spiced blackberry cobbler and rich caramel come through nicely on the initial taste. The dried fruit character on the mid-palate reveals its old vine terroir, especially as the wine transitions to its gamey, sweet, and lightly tart finish, leaving a hint of black raspberry in its wake. With the wide breadth of flavors that this wine brings to the table, this sophisticated Zinfandel should please both the occasional wine drinker and the connoisseur alike.

For the money we paid as well as the regular price, it was GREAT. I will definitely be purchasing more of this.