The Sierra Foothills designation of Renwood Zinfandel, also know as “red label,” is the entry-level Zinfandel from Renwood Winery. They have some more pricey Zins available, but they are mostly out of the range for Cheap Wine Ratings. The red label wines from Renwood are produced from their younger vines and are much simpler than their high-end wines, which are well known, award winning wines. But this red label Zin was actually a decent wine for the price.
This is a fairly simple zinfandel, with cherry and pepper on the nose. The palate is dominated by sour cherry with blackberry and tar underneath it. It’s well balanced and enjoyable, but it’s not extraordinary. It’s not as jammy as a lot of other zins, so if you want less jam this may be a pick for you.
Wine: Renwood
Varietal: Zinfandel
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 85
Price Paid: $11.99
Try 2006 Dark Horse Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, Treborce Vineyards.
It is The best Zin I have tasted in years. It’s a small production winery in Dry Creek. It hard to find, but I ordered it at http://www.darkhorsewine.com