Beaulieu Vineyards Coastal Estates Zinfandel

Not sure what the relevance of the term ‘coastal’ is, since I thought most of California’s Zin vineyards (Zinyards??) are inland. But whatever they call it, BV has done a great job with this wine.

This is a really tasty little fruit bomb, and a great introduction to Zinfandel. It’s priced fairly at $13.99 and is available at the private wine stores. Now don’t expect a lot of complexity here. It’s not at the level that Ridge or Cline can produce. But do expect a lot of tasty berry flavours, a little earthiness and enough tannins to keep it interesting. Definitely one of the better entry-level Zins that I’ve tried.

I paired this up very sucessfully with a smoked Cheddar in a recent tasting. Based on that, I’d say that it would be a perfect match for home-made burgers fresh off the BBQ or even something a little spicier.