artezin (I think they prefer no caps) is a part of the Hess Family of wineries. The label is focused on Zin, Petite Sirah and Carignan. In this wine, they “strive for a classic varietal, fruit-forward, ‘Zinny’ Zin.” Let’s see if they hit the mark for me.

Producer: Artezin Wines

Grapes: 91% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah

Appellation: Mendocino County (AVA, California)

Vineyards: “from the ridgelines and benchlands of the Ukiah Valley”

Vintage: 2007

Winemaking: Aged in 2nd and 3rd year French oak barrels.

Alcohol: 14.8%

Price: $11.99 at Costco in Austin

My tasting notes: For me this is has classic Zinfandel character in a more restrained style than many these days. Mixed berry fruit aromas with a caramel note from the oak treatment. More brambly berry flavors, with some spice and pepper. Smooth-texured. I was surprised when I looked checked and saw that this was 14.8% alcohol – it hides it well.

Overall impression: Zinny Zin, indeed. As long as you’re not expecting a “rip your face off” kind of Zin, I doubt you’d be disappointed with this everyday bottle. B

Free association: “Textbook” Zin… (lazy, I know)

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/underneath/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

More info:

There is a link to a podcast/video of the winemaker discussing this wine on the artezin website here.

90 points from Wine Enthusiast (this vintage and the 2006).

A few other takes on this wine at CellarTracker.