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American "First Growths"
It has occurred to me so many times over the past years - the French (love them or hate them) established the 1855 classification to help wine buyers recognize the top bordeaux, and pay accordingly. Perhaps from a historical perspective, the French always had a social hierarchy - certainly one more formal than here in the US. Would a classification system in the US help consumers? Or would it stifle innovation and a 'passion for excellence' in new wineries. Would a Harlan Estate - or a Screaming Eagle, or even Merry Edwards be able to produce the wines that they do if there were a pre-existing class system, AKA classification of wines? Probably yes...but it is never the less an interesting excercize to hear other's perspectives of 'their first growths'. For today, I am interested in your perspective on the First Growths of the true american (well, croatian?) heritage wine - Zindandel. So, to start the conversation, I'll drop my five first growth Zinfandels and look for your respective replies:
In no order, how about...
- Martinelli
- Biale
- Turley
- Hartford
- Carllisle
- Rosenblum
(that is a 'baker's 5)
Yes, difficult not to include Ridge, however I find more variability with their vintages. Perhaps a case can be made for Seghesio as well, and perhaps even C G Di Arie. I threw Rosenblum in as a bonus because despite their low end entries, their best can achieve levels that few other wines achieve. Who has had enjoyed the Monte Rosso from Rosenblum, Biale, and Ravenswood in one night? Even though from different vineyard blocks, a comparison of this nature can truly shed light on the wine making skill, and Rosenblum must be in the top Zin producers with products like their high end Zins.
Perhaps Zin is on my mind because I did not make it to ZAP's Zinfest this year. I am sure that my colleagues in this discussion group will have others that they would rate at the top in terms of overall quality and consistency of experience for this varietal...and look forward to your thoughts. Perhaps next discussion..."First Growth" American Pinot Noir...but that is for another day...
I will summarize the commonalities in your responses...and perhaps we will arrive at a consensus First Growth Zin list for the Wine Lovers group...
Cheers.
In no order, how about...
- Martinelli
- Biale
- Turley
- Hartford
- Carllisle
- Rosenblum
(that is a 'baker's 5)
Yes, difficult not to include Ridge, however I find more variability with their vintages. Perhaps a case can be made for Seghesio as well, and perhaps even C G Di Arie. I threw Rosenblum in as a bonus because despite their low end entries, their best can achieve levels that few other wines achieve. Who has had enjoyed the Monte Rosso from Rosenblum, Biale, and Ravenswood in one night? Even though from different vineyard blocks, a comparison of this nature can truly shed light on the wine making skill, and Rosenblum must be in the top Zin producers with products like their high end Zins.
Perhaps Zin is on my mind because I did not make it to ZAP's Zinfest this year. I am sure that my colleagues in this discussion group will have others that they would rate at the top in terms of overall quality and consistency of experience for this varietal...and look forward to your thoughts. Perhaps next discussion..."First Growth" American Pinot Noir...but that is for another day...
I will summarize the commonalities in your responses...and perhaps we will arrive at a consensus First Growth Zin list for the Wine Lovers group...
Cheers.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Eric S. Crane on -
What a great thread to start. If I recall correctly, Laube and the crew at Wine Spectator tried to classify the Americans many years ago. I must ask though, is this thread "my favorite producers" or "historic producers that deserve their place in the world?"
I will try to find the list that Wine Spectator put together many years ago. -
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Permalink Reply by Marshall on -
Well Eric, perhaps one in the same? I have been drinking Zins for about 12 years now, so I have some historical reference, however have not tried to compare Spectator, Parker, etc ratings in my assessment. Rather, from the dozen or so years and hundreds of attempts to find what I believe are 'the best', I found a definite trend in consistency of greatness for this varietal. So I would have to say that the list is qualitative, not quantitative. I have also found some favorites that did not appear on the above list - e.g. a easy drinking Zin, a favorite late harvest or zin port that we have enjoyed, or even new favorites such as Four Vines. I did, for the list above, try to filter out the wineries who have produced great wine on a consistent basis for many vintages. I look forward to comparing notes with others in this group...and perhaps your observations about the state of American Zins on your top 5 list...Cheers.
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Permalink Reply by Eric S. Crane on
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Joseph Swan
Ridge
Chateau Montelena
most anything from the Monte Rosso vineyard (several producers)
Steele -
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Permalink Reply by Marley Hodgson on -
If the wineries in question are not being judged on longevitiy then there are a plethora of incredilbe Zins out there today. A few that come to mind:
Mauritson Family - Sonoma
Elyse - Napa (also has made a tiny prodiuction of fantastic Zin Port )
Rafanelli - Sonoma
Radio Coteaux - Sonoma
Bella - Sonoma
a winery with a very long history - Kunde aslo comes to mind. Not for their everyday labels but for their Century Vines Zin bottling which is tremendous. I was lucky enough to walk that vineyard one day which was terrific. Avg. age of the vines I believe was 120+ years. looked like something out of Dr. Sesus. The fact that so many producers make so many differnt bottlings from various different vineyards certainly clouds judgement a bit. It stikes me as somewhat similar to Burgundy where one might find a terrific wine and a medicore wine from the same vineyard. -
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Permalink Reply by Justin C.S.W., C.S. on -
This is so complex an convoluted I cant even reply with anything coherent.
I would start with some questions tho:
Why classify ourselves? Our grapes or allowed grapes for a classsification?
There are the original first growth like wineries of CA, then there are alot of new cool ones like Sin Qua Non.
Early pioneers that are still amazing might be Montelena, Grgich Hills Estate (both on Mike Grgichs' resume), Joseph Swan (nice Eric Crane), Heitz, BV for the Georges de Latour bottling.
New: Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Sine Qua Non,
Ugghhhh, this is way too taxing.....and has too much constraints. Maybe thats a problem the AOC system and others have problems with the classification systems as a whole anyways....
Sorry.....this was just babble. -
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Permalink Reply by Randy Caparoso on -
Like the others, I can think of a number of extraordinary Zin producers who aren't mentioned anywhere in in this thread; and personally, some of the ones mentioned, I certainly would never think of as a "grand cru" or "premier cru" (won't mention names -- why invite more controversy than what I already see?). There is too much variability -- variability in taste, variability in vintage, variability in grape sourcing, variability in year-to-year evolution, etc. -- for anything close to a producer list ever being classifiable.
The only things that are constant in any part of the world is terroir -- the vineyards themselves. And terroir, and vineyards in general on the West Coast, are still way too early in their evolutionary stage to be classified.
Needless to say, same goes for classification of vineyards and producers related to Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, et al.
Nice food for fantasy, Marshall, but far from realistic... -
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Permalink Reply by George R. Eldi on -
Ridge must be included in the "Zinfandel First Growths." Without question they embrace the taste of place in each of their single site bottlings. Geyserville, Pagani Ranch and Lytton Springs are historic sites. Ridge produces age worthy and food friendly wines. Paul Draper and crew are fanatics when it comes to producing wines that recognize the site that they come from. This is more difficult than with the vineyards of Burgundy where the fractionated limestone dictates and changes cru level within feet of each other. You cannot have American Vineyard Crus at the same level as them. Only a few wineries really let their wine challenge the test of time. We can hold them in our personal acclaim club of age worthy wine. There is a list started in the Post.
Most of the wine is made for immediate pleasure and consumption. The American market is lazy and wants it all in one glass, right now. Thank God, the few people who get it, buy their wine in my market.
Randy, the best sub AVA’s is a better place to start. And that's changeing with the weather! After all who is more important in America, the land or the Wine Maker? -
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Permalink Reply by Randy Caparoso on
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Absolutely, George... right now, the winemaker, or the barrel maker, or the even the PR maker (good god, the hype!)... all these things seem to be just as "important" as actual terroir in the way people look at wines in the New World these days. And of course, it should just not be so...
I agree with you on your kudos re Ridge. I think a lot of Zin fanatics these days just don't realize that the one producer that drove this grape as a varietal of integrity through the decades of White Zin mania was Ridge. Everything done by producers like Rosenblum, Ravenswood, Turley, et al. -- the focus on terroir, single vineyard old vine sourcing, natural winemaking, traditional field mixing, etc. -- came after Ridge, and because of Ridge. Or you can say, they came by virtue of the light held proudly by Paul Draper and his crew up there in the Santa Cruz Mts.
FYI, if you like to read about Zin: I invite everyone to visit my Web site (www.randycaparoso.blogsp...) where you'll find a recently revised piece on the history of "big Zins," and also some details on Zinfandel/food matching. -
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