2007 Seghesio Zinfandel Rockpile Vineyard

This is another outstanding Zin from Seghesio, even for the price ($34), and while perhaps not as monstrously exhuberant as their general Sonoma bottling from the 07 year, it proves once again two things: a) Rockpile Zins/Petite Sirahs are our favorites, and b) the 07 vintage seems to just rock across all regions of Cali and across almost all varietals. It's impressive. For this wine, the sipper-sniffer will be rewarded with some patience. So either decant for an hour (now), or give it a few years before opening. There's a great blackberry cobbler core to this Zin, followed by a tidal wave of spice, tanning, fruit-cake and sage. And yet it's not the fruit-club that the Sonoma bottle is, there's an earthiness or loamy note to the nose and the palate that is simply not present in the blended vineyard bottling Seghesio makes. The finish can become a bit muted if it's too cool, so make sure this is at 64 deg F or around there. For us, it's simply an outstanding wine for the price. Am I really going to pay hundreds of dollars for an equivalent wine from France or Italy? (No.)
93/100.
Bottom line: A fantastic effort, again, by Seghesio, in a great year from a great appellation in California.

2007 Joel Gott Zinfandel (Cali)

This was a pleasant, fruit-mocha-forward Zinfandel, that accompanied a recently milk-braised pork shoulder with spices, polenta with grated peccorino, and roasted green beans. J Gott is, of course, of Taylor's Refresher fame (you know what I'm talking about Bay Area residents), and his wife has taken over operations as winemaker for most of the bottlings. This Zin was a bit reticent on the first night that we enjoyed it, but opened up on the second day into a floral-strawberry-licorice-chocolate treat, and for $14 retail... another good deal from our local Albertson's. Not overly alcoholic, not a bruiser, and a few layers hiding in there...if you wait for them to emerge.
86/100 - for us.
Bottom line: Not hugely complex as Zins go, but not overly syrupy or simple either; a good and balanced Zin from a blend of California regions.