Aging Zinfandel
All wines have a maturation profile. Most red wines are intended for immediate consumption. For example, Beaujolais Nouveau should be drunk within months of release. Other wines such as Red Bordeaux and Barolo or Barbaresco come to maturity after 10 to 20 years. Zinfandel wines are a little different.
In most red wines such as old Cabernet Sauvignons, red Bordeaux and red Burgundy; the tannins become increasingly softer over time. Tannins are there to provide a welcome textural element to red wine but can become an unpleasantly astringent if there are excessive amounts of it. Zinfandel generally reaches its peak of maturity about three years after the vintage. This has to do with the very nature of the Zinfandel grapes. Zinfandel grapes are thin skinned, a key source of tannins, which makes them less age worthy compared to Cabernet Sauvignon or Barolo. Zinfandel has a delicious fruity juice that renders it a full-bodied, easy-drinking and delicious wine.
As Zinfandel ages the color evolves from purple-red to orange-red; pigments begin to separate, leaving a clear edge after four or five years. The flavors of Zinfandel also become blended and are not easily separated out.
A good producer of Zinfandel is Toucan Wines, the owner and winemaker, Doug Timewell, produces a well balanced California Zinfandel. We recently conducted a vertical tasting of the Toucan Estate Zinfandel representing four vintages. Our results exactly matched Timewell’s Zinfandel prediction. The 2007 Toucan Estate Zinfandel (tasted in 2010) was perfect. In fact, this Zinfandel received the Los Angeles International Wine Competition’s Gold and Best of Class. Older vintages of Toucan Estate Zinfandel were increasingly integrated as the dynamic varietal fruit began to mellow.
Drink your Zinfandel three or four years after the vintage to obtain the finest result. Look for aromas of blackberry, blueberry, plum, raisin, cherry, vanilla, cinnamon, maple, mushroom when sampling Zinfandel wines.
See more Zinfandel wines from Toucan Wines
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