New 2007 Ancient Peak Zinfandel
August 12, 2009

As most of you know, I have been a big fan of the value packed 06 vintage of Ancient Peaks wines.  Not only were we "off and running" with the Zin, but I named the 06 Cabernet Sauvignon my "Best New Discovery Wine of the Year" last December.  To date, over 3,000 bottles have been sold at The Wine Consultant, as the wine remains a steady favorite.    

 

So the big question is how does the 07 vintage of Ancient Peaks Zin measure up to the benchmark 06 Zin?  Last Friday evening, I was pleased to receive a bottle of the 07 Zin by courier.  I immediately decanted the bottle, dressed in its attractive new packaging, to include with some of Renee's BBQ.  I wish I could have had a bottle of the 06 to drink side-by-side, but I will rely on my palate memory.  The 06 seems easy to recall, because it was so Zinfandel-like;  bramble wild berries, intoxicating-heady spices, crushed white and black peppercorns. And there was a nuance of black licorice or wild fennel that would play hide and seek with you!  It had great clarity and definition, and seemed to ooze with freshness and vitality.  However, the 06 Zin was not a Goliath of a wine, and disappointed some zinfanatics hoping for a more pedal-to-the-medal "jam bomb." Oh, and the 06 carries a remarkably low alcohol of only 13.5%....practically unheard of for a Paso Robles AVA Zinfandel, and modern winemaking practices.  But, then I remind you that Ancient Peaks' estate Margarita Vineyard stands alone in the  southernmost part of the AVA.  A special place where maritime influence, and the San Lucia Mountain range produce an unusually cool, micro-climate to slow and steady the ripening process! 

 

 

The 2007 vintage was warmer than usual in the protected Margarita Vineyard.  Not so much conversion layer fog to linger in mornings, or arrive earlier in the afternoon as in the previous years.  More sunshine, less moisture.  Flavor development and intensity comes with long hangtime, and physiologically mature grapes.  It's a drama played out in the vineyard to attain the perfect equilibrium of ripeness and acid, and then the decision is made to pick!  Kind of like knowing just the right time to take the souffle out of the oven.  The resulting 07 Ancient Peaks Zin is noticeably riper than the 06 rendition.  Although the alcohol is listed at 15.1%, this is not out of line for a warmer vintage like 2007.  Darkly colored, with a melange of berries and a hint of inviting sweet vanillin cream are the initial aromas.  Only on the very first taste is there a slight warming impression to the senses.  By the second taste, the wine's lush berry fruits fill the mouth and caresses across the palate.  Think of a baked mixed cherry-berry pie filling!  Not as easy to identify for its varietal character as the 06 Zinfandel, but very enjoyable nevertheless with a long lingering finish.  If less complex than the 06 at this early stage, the 07 is full bodied, delicious, and very flavorful.  It will win lots of new friends, and certainly stands up to the most assertive BBQ.  Ancient Peaks should be praised for maintaining its value pricing as the 07 Zin is again a bargain in the market place.  But please, you be the judge!  And oh what fun, if you happen to have a bottle of the 06 to compare!

 

 

 

 

 

2006 Ancient Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles - $16.95 ($15.26)