High-End Zinfandel

At work, once a month, we have a wine tasting.  Every "session" 

we have a different type of wine we explore.  After a year of running through most varieties of wine, we spiced things up and went on to regions of wine, price points of wine, etc.  This past 

week, our little gathering decided to focus on high-end Zinfandels (Zins priced from $30-$45).  Zinfandels are grown in California but are linked genetically to grape varieties in Italy and Croatia. As always, it was a blind taste test. Below are the wines we tasted with some notes on each:

The Winner:
Producer: Elyse Zinfandel
Vintage: 2005
Region: Napa Valley
Price: $35

This wine was smooth and very easy going down.  It would be a perfect wine for a dinner party since most people would enjoy the subtle flavors of black-currant and berries with a subtle after-taste.  

Second Place:
Producer: Ridge Zinfandel (70% Zin, 18% Cariguane, 10% Petit Syrah, 2% Mataro)
Vintage: 2006
Region: Geyserville, CA
Price: 37.99

Although technically a blend, this wine was more complex then the Elyse.  Our seasoned wine veterans tended to like this one the best since the flavor was more complex and the tannins were much stronger then the first.

Third Place:
Producer: Medusa Old Vine Zinfandel
Vintage: 2005
Region: Mendocino
Price: 37.99

I bought this wine on a recommendation from the guy at the store.  It's a big wine.  Lots of tannins, and a bit jammy in taste.  It would go well with steak or BBQ but make sure to decant it for awhile before drinking.