Screw Kappa Napa Zinfandel 2003

It being Saturday, what to me is "shopping day", I headed on out to Safeway for the usual weekly groceries. I noticed while looking at the Zinfandel section, that the "Three Loose Screws" as Don Sebastiani apparently likes to call his company for SKN wine, makes a Zin. So I asked myself, "self, why not make it a Screw Kappa Napa trifecta?" And here I am! So I've tried the Cab, the Chardonnay, and now, to the Zinfandel.

Ah the familiar bottle is present. Including the screw cap top which is near and dear to heart... Mostly because it is so easy to open. Cork screws? Bah!

According to the winemaker, Richard Bruno, (handsome young man, eh?) the wine is "Medium cranberry color with smoky, black pepper spice and rich French oak notes. The palate is very ripe with robust cherry and blackberry flavors. From old vines, the finish is spicy and layered with cranberry and supple white pepper and huckleberry." Let's see, shall we?

(sniff sniff slurp) This is a classic Napa Zin. Cranberry, blackberry nose, tart and young as a baby's bum. Nice, but young and in need of some food to go with and take the edge off. If you have the time and space I'd say throw this down in the cellar and wait about two years to try this again.

I've had better drinking in a young zin. In the price range I'd look for a Lodi or Paso Robles wine, which due to the heat in the areas, the fruit frequently becomes fuller and rounder, and often makes for a more dense juice. Given time however to round out the tannins in this SKN, I'd say that all the classic Napa qualities that... well make wine from Napa unique, are present in this 2003 Zinfandel.

I'll be giving it a try with Sirloin burgers and beans tonight. Should go quite nicely, I'll bet.

If you are looking for something a bit more upscale in a Zinfandel from the Napa area, try the Brown Estate or D-Cubed Cellars' zins. These are some of the best examples of area Zinfandel and are worth the experience to be able to at least make comparisons.

While both can frequently be found at better wine stores, they are also available direct. I've got mine. Do you?

I'd tell you my favorite Zin maker, but he didn't even have enough wine for me in his recent offering. So he shall remain nameless. (His initials are M.O.) And his wine no longer needs the fame and fortune when written about in this column. Bah humbug...