Monday, May 28, 2007

Joel Gott Zinfandel

The opportune time for an aging wine; so delicate.
I dream of pulling that cork; yet fearful.
For now I am so happy to have it close by me; though it remains unopened.
I watch it mature; admiringly.
I dream of its substance; hopeful.
I think about it; feel my heart grin.
And settle for now with 2005 Joel Gott Dillian Ranch Zin.

Joel Gott
Zinfandel
Amador County

This wine perplexes me. I taste-tested it one night and absolutely hands-down LOVED it. I'd give it an 8.25 that evening. On my way home from work, I'd had no food for awhile to alter my taste. I would have bought it that night, but the price tag (for me) is a once-a-month selection.

Fast forward to this weekend. It was The Guy's b'day Saturday and I knew in the back of my mind I was going to purchase this zin for the occasion. I didn't tell him it was out of the usual "cheap" category and we had it with grilled steak and chicken and grilled red, yellow and orange peppers with sweet onion. I was completely disappointed. It tasted like almost every other wine I've had lately. He drank it without making any comment - which is a good thing because he didn't say he DIDN'T like it. However, he did not say "Wow, what is this?" And I wouldn't have said it either if I'd been trying if for the first time.

It's got to be the menu selection that killed it. I myself did have more this afternoon with my lunch of sauteed shrimp, garlic, roasted red peppers, fresh parsley, parmesean and penne. It was much better, though still not the wonderful experience that first evening I taste-tested it. Interestingly enough, when I taste-tested it, the young girl behind the counter (the owner's college-bound daughter) told me it was probably better an hour or two earlier as it had been "breathing" for 4 hours when I walked in. I laughed to myself thinking that it is a young wine and therefore would not necessarily need to breathe at all (I'm still unsettled as to the whole breathing necessity). However, now I almost wonder if there was actually a positive reaction with oxygen for this wine.

www.gottwines.com
Amador County, Dillian Ranch (this is important as there are other regions for Joel Gott Zin, same year)
$27.99 / bottle

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