Zinfandel of the Year

Rancho Zabaco, 2004 Toreador, Monte Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma Valley – $50: The essence of old vine zinfandel, this stylish wine offers heady aromas of liqueur-rich raspberry and ripe red plum, oodles of brown spice and freshly cracked black peppercorn, along with a whiff of French oak. Wickedly rich and extracted on the palate with silky tannins and copious, deep flavors that replicate the nose and don’t skimp on the spice, accented by notes of dark chocolate and vanilla; super-smooth texture and a long, peppery finish. Just peeks over the top, but doesn’t go there; 15.2% alcohol. (650 cases)

Top Ten Zinfandels of the Year

Armida, 2004 Tre Torrente Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley – $34: Forward, fragrant, appealing, brambly nose of ripe black raspberry and dried lavender. Smooth and seamless with a deep core of kirsch-like black raspberry fruit accompanied by loads of peppery spice and not a hint of over-ripeness; great balance of fruit and acid with medium tannins. (299 cases)

Artezin, 2004 Mendocino (58%), Sonoma (25%), Amador (17%) – $15: Very forward, fragrant, close-to-showy aromas of raspberry and blackberry jam, plus a subtle note of mocha. Clean, smooth and round with medium tannins, the wine’s luscious, fruit-forward flavors echo the nose and are perfectly ripe and varietal. A great bargain to boot. (10,500 cases)

Bucklin, 2003 Old Hill Ranch, Sonoma Valley – $30: Made from 115-year-old vines in what is probably the state’s most diversely planted field-blend vineyard (predominantly zinfandel, plus grenache, alicante bouchet, petite sirah, carignane, syrah, mourv?dre and 17 other varieties), this exciting Zin exhibits heady aromas of ripe raspberry and sour cherry, toast and vanilla bean with a smoky undertone. On the palate, the wine is bursting with raspberry-blackberry-red cherry fruit and loads of freshly crushed black pepper; the texture is smooth and rich, with medium, fine-grain tannins. Classic Zin for the connoisseur, and a bargain, too. (750 cases)

Robert Biale, 2004 Monte Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma Valley – $50: A subtle note of bay leaf accents ripe wild berry fruit, peppery spice and crushed-stone minerality. Tasting downright purple, this mountain-grown Zin delivers great extract and rich, opulent flavors of black raspberry and loganberry, and supple, medium-full tannins; long, spicy finish. (380 cases)

Grgich Hills, 2004 Estate Grown, Napa Valley – $30: A claret-style Zin with a Napa Valley estate pedigree, this well-behaved yet exceedingly generous wine offers enticing aromas of wild strawberry and raspberry fruit, some mushroomy decadence and a hint of leather. Co-fermented with 12% petite sirah, the wine’s flavors echo the nose and are generous, deep and spicy with medium tannins and fine acid balance. (5,328 cases)

Hanna, 2002 Bismark Ranch, Sonoma – $51: Released early this year, this is heady stuff and so full of rich, ripe, extracted fruit that the 16% alcohol doesn’t show through in the aromas or flavors. The nose combines chocolate brownies fresh from the oven with ripe bramble berry. Wonderfully smooth, round and mellow on the palate with loads of very ripe – but not overripe – wild blackberry fruit and intense spiciness, this hedonistic, pull-out-all-the-stops, mountain-top-grown Zin will satisfy even the most passionate Zinfanatic. (547 cases)

Harvest Moon, 2003 Estate, Russian River Valley – $32: The forward, fragrant nose offers German chocolate cake combined with lusciously ripe blackberry-raspberry fruit. Juicy, round and smooth with balancing acidity and medium tannins, this classic Russian River Valley Zin exhibits a deep core of ripe wild berry fruit and plenty of spice, finishing just a bit rustically, which will be cured with another year in the bottle. (420 cases)

JC Cellars, 2004 Iron Hill Vineyard, Sonoma Valley – $35: Great peppery nose offering a burst of black raspberry-black cherry liqueur that is more than tempting. Wonderfully rich and concentrated in the mouth, and seemingly trying to be a northern Rh?ne instead of a Sonoma Zin, the wine’s flavors echo the nose and are saturated with fruit extract, accented by crushed-stone minerality, dried lavender and cinnamon-clove spice; long, emphatic close. (179 cases)

Madrona, 2003 30th Anniversary Estate Grown, El Dorado – $38: Forward, fragrant, very appealing aromas of red cherry and raspberry dusted with a dash of sweet brown spice. Somewhere between claret and full blown in style, this foothill Zin is impeccably balanced, delivering a great burst of ripe red fruit and spice. Silky and generous with medium tannins, the wine picks up the characteristics of super-ripe cherry dipped in dark chocolate; finishes with a spicy encore.(104 cases)

Rosenblum, 2004 Richard Sauret Vineyard, Paso Robles – $20: Forward, intense nose of plummy blackberry fruit accented by a sour cherry high note and copious black pepper spice (from the 10% petite sirah component). Easy, juicy and layered on the palate with medium tannins and generous flavors that replicate the nose, this charming Zin finishes with a note of mocha. This well-crafted, complex, fruit-driven Zin does Paso proud, and is also an exceptional bargain. (5,844 cases)

Other Outstanding Zinfandels

Armida, 2004 Flora Ranch Vineyard, Alexander Valley – $39 (197 cases)

Chiarello Family, 2003 Giana, Napa Valley – $28 (787 cases)

Dry Creek Vineyard, 2004 Heritage, Sonoma County – $15 (8,470)

Handley, 2003 Mendocino County – $20 (1,385 cases)

Harvest Moon, 2003 Russian River Valley – $20 (305 cases)

Madrona, 2002 Reserve, El Dorado – $22 (412 cases)

Rancho Zabaco, 2004 Monte Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma Valley – $35 (220 cases)

Rosenblum, 2004 Maggie’s Reserve, Sonoma Valley – $45 (1,150 cases)

Rosenblum, 2004 Monte Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma Valley – $40 (938 cases)

Rosenblum, 2004 Rockpile Road Vineyard, Rockpile – $35 (3,488 cases)

The Terraces, 2003 Napa Valley – $25 (685 cases)

Vina Robles, 2003 Westside, Paso Robles – $24 (598 cases)