Rabble Wine Company - 2016 Zinfandel [Paso Robles, CA]

OK, so I am sucker for cool and fancy labels on wine, beer, and spirits. The artwork on the outside of the bottle can be just as fun as the liquid artwork inside the bottle, and this fact led me to today's wine, a 2016 Zinfandel from Paso Robles, CA-based Rabble Wine Company.

The bottle says, in old-timey font, "This RABBLE appeared in the tenth month of year 2016". Really neat, huh? We sell this at D'Vines for $24.99 and it has been calling my name for some time. I also really love Zinfandel, so this was a no-brainer.

According to an online source, this wine was grown in Mossfire Ranch, a 320-acre parcel of land on the east side of the Paso Robles AVA, right along the Pleasant Valley Wine Trail. Varying in elevation, this area experiences cool mornings and warm, breezy afternoons, with sandy soils that range from alluvial to loamy and calcium-rich, they can grow a wide range of grapes there: for example, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Petit Sirah. As you may know, certain grapes thrive in certain conditions so Mossfire Ranch, like most vineyards, are intentionally planned and planted for each varietal to take advantage of conditions like elevation, shade, irrigation, and soil type.

OK, let's see what this wine is about. Poured it out using a Vintorio aerator; immediately it generates a full, pleasing aroma detectable even from a few feet away. Bright and fresh!

It's a medium-garnet color in the glass...when volatized (technical term for being spun in the glass), the wine coats the inside and generates some clear "legs." The meniscus has a tiny bit of bricking.

There's a burst of fresh blackberry flavor up front, light but appreciable, and this develops quickly  with deeper and stronger flavors like leather, salt, and grape skins. The weight of this wine definitely takes a few seconds to make itself known. In fact, the salt almost tastes a tad briney. Hard to tell. There's a definite aftertaste, mostly of dark fruit and a bit of baker's chocolate. Tannins and acidity are moderate, nothing too bold, which is pretty much on par for a Zinfandel.

 I'm really digging how balanced this wine is, as well - no one flavor "bulldozes" the other, in fact, the dark berry skins complement the leathery, salty elements very well. Overall a really nice bottle of wine that would pair well with gamey meats like quail or pheasant; likewise for those of us who not eat those things on the regular, it would pair well with heavier, spicier foods like roasted squash, ham, bacon, or even a curry.

This bottle sells at D'Vines for $24, so a bit high for an everyday bottle. Well worth it if you like refined Zinfandels from California, though. Check out the picture, below - there's several more Rabble variants! All with excellent labels. At D'Vines, we sell the Cabernet Sauvignon version, but looks like there are plenty others. I'm eager to try them all.