Plungerhead Dry Creek Old Vine Zinfandel 2004

Well those wacky guys, Don Sebastiani and Sons have released yet another well marketed, nutty named wine. Along side the Three Loose Screw wines, Smoking Loon, Pepperwood Grove, Screw Kappa Napa, and a few other odds and ends, they now have "The Other Guys" wine line-up.

This line includes le bon vin dela Napa Valley, (Cab, Merlot, and Chard) Hey Mumbo, they call this an Italian blend, but with 99% Malbec I calls it Chilean more than anything, and the Plungerhead. Apparently so named for the "Zork" wine closure from Australia. Currently the only wine from Plungerhead is the 2004 Zinfandel which I found in a large (what else) stack at the local market for $8.99.

Now, personally, I'm not sure what the intention is by having a multitude of wines under various lables and names other than to confuse and confound the public. But they have the money, so they make the rules. I don't so I'll shut up.

This particular Zinfandel is 85% Zin and 15% Petite Syrah. I suspect that the juice they most likely purchased for this wine was just a little lacking in both color and body so it needed some structure which the PS supplies. Since it's from Dry Creek and only $8.99, I can't imagine who bulked out there wine but... who cares really? One thousand cases (12,000 bottles, woohoo) makes this a high production wine in my book. But if it's any good, at $9, it means I can get some more!

The Closure is as unusual as I have ever seen. It's plastic with a wrap around zip piece that when removed leaves a stumpy, mushroom shaped plastic plunger. (Hmmm plunger, plungerhead....) The Zork. Evan a website... The only complaint I have is the unit is slightly difficult to remove without fingernails, so don't let your wives and lady friends open this thing up if you don't want to hear about broken nails all during dinner. And probably after as well. And probably into the morning also. But that's another story.

The wine is a mildly deep purple in color, with reasonable viscosity, and an indeterminate nose of.... (Picture Miles with his nose in a glass) well, overtones of Zin and alcohol, the Petit Syrah contributes something as well. But it does kinda' smell like the Screw Kappa Napa Cabernet.... Not that that's a bad thing, Don... But it's certainly not a nose or taste that says Dry Creek. I've had Dry Creek Zinfandel. (Not necessarily the wine from the winery of the same name.) This is not the DC area. That may be why it is $8.99.

For a good Dry Creek wine, try some Quivira Vineyards Zinfandel from the same area. For a treat get the Anderson Ranch. A great Dry Creek example.

The Plungerhead is mildly tart and young, with little hope for a long life. Drink now or in the next year for maximum flavor.

Now if only I could find the Used Automobile Parts wines to try... (hint hint. I can pick it up, DS and Sons.... Notice the name similarities?)