Mazzocco

California Wine Country hasn't been immune to the woes of the current economy and if you knew nothing about the business side of it, you could see evidence in the way Barrel Tasting was conducted. A good, conscientious winery (in good times) will age their wines at least a year before barrel tasting, offering the customer a taste of it after it's matured in the barrels and developed some complexity of character. What we found, beginning with Mazzocco, was that wineries were rushing to get their wines to market, in spite of everything.

When you taste/drink a wine that's labelled with a 2009 vintage (for example), you should know that the wine was harvested in the late summer/fall of that year and put in barrels mere weeks thereafter. So if you're tasting a 2009 vintage in March of 2010, it's been in the barrel less than 4 months. What's unfortunate in this economy is that the harvest may have been their best in years, but the rush to generate revenue is forcing wineries to forgo the maturation process, sacrificing what might be a classic wine.

Evidence would suggest that Mazzocco is in this condition. Their four wines being theifed from the barrels were all 2009, and since they won't be released until September 2011, it was difficult to gage or predict how they'd turn out. At a 35% discount over retail, you could also infer that their cash position was also barren.

2009 Stone Ranch Zinfandel :$29/$18.85/$34
A real favorite of ours at this price point.40 This will blow away any wine within $7 of it at the grocery store (eww...don't buy there) or other wine stores. The alcohol content will befuddle you; at nearly 16% with some vintages, you wonder how it's possible it could be so smooth.

2009 Warm Spring Ranch Zinfandel : $32/$20.8/$36
Antoine, the winemaker, has found a real gem in the WSR vineyards. While not especially complex, the shear fun factor associated with this wine (and Stone Ranch, for that matter) has really made it addictive! Drink it alone or with friends; it has such mass appeal without being overly simple (e.g. Menage e trois)! Pairing it with a meal is possible, but don't get rambunctious.

2009 Pony Zinfandel : $32/$20.8/$--
While the futures prices is very enticing, the wine was tasting very "green". Mazzocco did an unusual thing with this year's tasting by tasting the wine from both new oak and neutral oak (3 yrs old). New oak often imparts a lot more spice to the wine, but the wine was tasting green from both barrels.

2009 Maple Vineyard Zinfandel : $40/$26/$--
For those who know Tom and Tina Maple, you know that they have one of the premier vineyards in Dry Creek Valley for growing Zinfandels. I think Mazzocco, who makes the best Zin from Maple, did them a disservice with this offering. We have conducted a blind, vineyard designate tasting with Maple Vineyard grapes: Mazzocco, Armida, and Dutcher Crossing. All three were the same year, so the same lot of grapes. Hands-down, Mazzocco's "arrangement" (to use a musical expression) was the top pick within the group. I hope that tasting it this young in the barrel doesn't put-off it's cult-like following. It lacked the customary appeal that the Maple grapes are known for. Cross your fingers...