Glen Ellen Proprietor’s Reserve Zinfandel

A question I get asked every now and then is, “Is any of the wine in those big bottles any good?”

The short answer is, “yes, some of it is good.”  But not all of it.  Some folks refer to bottles that are 1.5 liter and larger as “large format” bottles.  And in some cases, very good high-end wine goes into large format bottles.  But most of the 1.5 liter bottles you see on store shelves are going to be the cheap stuff.  And, yes, even some of that is decent.

So, that brings me to Glen Ellen Proprietor’s Reserve Zinfandel.  And I find myself wondering, is the wine in this 1.5 liter of cheap zinfandel any good.  By cheap, I mean $9.99 for 1.5 liters — which is the equivalent of two standard size wine bottles.

Glen Ellen is a bargain-priced label produced by Concannon Vineyards.  Since Concannon is known to produce some good wine, that’s a good sign.  It’s an “old vine” zinfandel, which is another good sign.  But it is Concannon’s entry-level label, so it’s made with the less desirable fruit — the better fruit going to their premium labels.  As always, there’s only one way to find out if it’s any good, taste it.

But before we get to tasting it, a comment about opening it.  This wine is sealed with a synthetic cork.  I despise synthetic corks.  It’s just a personal preference thing, though.  I don’t have any research to show that synthetic corks are any worse than other closures (although I’m sure someone has researched it).  I just don’t like them.  If you’re not going to give me real cork, I’d rather have a screw cap.  I know some consumers poke fun at the screw cap, but to me they’re better than a plastic synthetic cork.

Now that I have that out of the way, on with the tasting.

The nose is a little soft, but not completely tight.  It has aromas of plum, cola and spice.  And even though it’s only 13.5% alcohol (relatively low for a zinfandel), the alcohol fumes are still rather potent.  The palate has plum and blackberry flavors and decent acidity, although it’s a bit angular in the mouth and a little thin.  It finishes with a bit of spice and slightly tart fruit.

So, what does all that mean?  Is this wine any good.  It’s not an extraordinary wine, but it’s drinkable.  And it certainly is a bargain.  It doesn’t have the depth, structure and concentration to get me excited about it.  But I’m sure many consumers would be perfectly satisfied with it.  If you do pick up this wine, I’d suggest giving it a slight chill before consuming.  Not a full refrigeration, but maybe put it in the fridge for 20-25 minutes to bring the temp down slightly.  That will make this wine a touch more enjoyable.

Wine: Glen Ellen Proprietor’s Reserve
Variety: Old Vine Zinfandel
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 80
Price:  $9.99 for 1.5 liters

Find Glen Ellen Proprietor’s Reserve Zinfandel with Snooth

Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.