2005 Alderbrook Winery Confluence Zinfandel/Syrah Blend
Mission Codename: Rivers Crest
Operative: Agent Red
Objective: After more than a three year absence from our pages, send Agent Red back to Alderbrook Winery, in the Dry Creek Valley, where their library is rumored to be holding back some remarkable wines. Infiltrate their private stash and retrieve their best Library selection for our deserving Operatives.
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Alderbrook Winery
Wine Subject: 2005 Confluence Zinfandel – Syrah Blend
Winemaker: Bryan Parker
Winery Backgrounder: Zinfandel is related to the Italian Primitivo grape, tracing its origin to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kastelanski. Zinfandel is one of the most versatile varietals with the ability to make wines, both rich to fruity, dark to light, and dry to sweet.
The popularity of Syrah is undeniable. Big and bold in flavor and texture, it packs a concentrated punch of flavor that many people love. This Rhone varietal, although many believe that the grape originated in the Persia region, is 100% French in lineage. The Syrah grape is directly descended from the Monduese Blanche and Dureza varietals and is grown worldwide with great success.
Today’s wine is a delightful blend of both Zinfandel and Syrah, delivering a delicious delight with original flavors, deep aromatics and a fine mouth feel.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Darkest garnet hues, with a darker heart. Coloration is perfectly even, from edge to core. When swirled, tall, skinny legs descend from high on the glass wall. They carry the garnet color of the wine as they move slowly down the glass.
Smell – Sweet and warm, aromatic and lush, with smoky cherry, raspberry, blackberry and warm spice. Just beneath these, bramble, cassis, bitter chocolate, subtle cinnamon, violets and pepper round out the nose..
Feel – Bright and light-weight, up front, then grippy on the edges of the palate. As the wine airs out, it gains in complexity and body. Fine, integrated tannins give the wine a softly plush feel and bright acids provide a great counterpoint that drives flavors to the far corners of the mouth.
Taste – Blackberry, Bing Cherry and dried cranberry are the initial flavors to present themselves. As the wine opens, additional flavors keep appearing, including Black cherry, sweet brown spice, dark chocolate, sweetwoods, slate and hints of star anise and cracked pepper.
Finish – This wine finishes long, with a pronounced, sustained Bing cherry flavor that persists long after other fruit flavors have dwindled.
Conclusion – A little shy at first, this wine comes to life as you spin it in the glass – or after about 30 minutes of decanting. As it airs out, fruits become more authentic and flavorful, delivering additional energy and delight. Fruit flavors really come to life and aromas take on new dimension, making each successive sip and inhalation more of a delight than the last. With plenty of fruit and medium-high acids, this is a fantastic summertime BBQ wine. This wine gets our hearty Wine Spies recommendation!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the beautiful Alderbrook Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.